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Middle School Bulletin February 2024
Head of Middle School’s message The highlight for me this term has been working with individual and small groups of students to develop our sense of community within the section. Our recent Anti-Bullying Focus Group provided the opportunity to listen to student perspectives and welcome ideas and thoughts on how to foster students acting with courage and to use our moral compass to positive effect. What I enjoy most about focus groups such as these, is our students’ willingness and desire to support one another’s views and disagree with sensitivity, something that we see routinely in the classroom. Life in the Middle School this half term has offered an insight into different perspectives and cultures, and I am amazed by the artistic skill of Arya F (9C) who designed the front cover this bulletin in celebration of Chinese New Year. I hope you will enjoy reading the article by William L 9(J) in which we learn about the origins of Chinese New Year and how it is celebrated across the world together with interviews with Richard Z (10R), Hari D (10C) and Ashish G (10J). Happy Chinese New Year to all members of our community celebrating! Our focus in the Middle School continues to be instilling a shared mindset of determination, professionalism, commitment and kindness. The incredible number of rewards given to students this half term is testament to the exceptional progress being made and I warmly commend all those who have received an award and those working towards one. I hope this bulletin with give a flavour of life in the Middle School this half term: an interview with our School Counsellor and what is coming up next – I hope you all have a restful and enjoyable half term holiday. With best wishes,
Mr Adam Lawrence Head of Middle School
NOTICES
Valuable items We speak with students regularly about respect for one another and for one another’s property. That said, we must take individual responsibility for safeguarding our own valuable property. We hope the following will help students keep valuable items safe and avoid upset when things go missing. • Do not bring personal items of value to school that you would be upset if they went missing. • Everything should be labelled in the hope that it can be returned if it goes missing (this includes a label on mobile phones / cases / headphones). • Any valuable items brought to school must be locked in a locker. If students do not have a locker, or their locker does not lock for any reason, please speak with your Form Tutor who will help ensure you have access to a lockable locker. • Do not bring cash into school unless essential and there should be no occasion for bringing more than £20. • If you do bring cash into school, do not leave cash in a blazer pocket hanging up in a changing room. • Any items not locked securely are at risk of going missing. • There is CCTV around the campus but not everywhere. • Items that go missing do often end up in Lost Property. • If any students have an exceptional reason for bringing a valuable item into school and it does not fit in a locker, they are welcome to speak with Mr Lawrence who can store it in a locked office for the day.
REWARDS
Middle School Commendations 43 Commendations were awarded this half term to Middle School students for displaying our school values. Students are encouraged to strive towards collecting a commendation for each of our four school values. Students are invited to a celebration prize giving breakfast with hot chocolate and pastries with Mr Lawrence and Ms Hooker, and these take place once every half term. We were pleased to present the following students with commendations on Monday 5 February:
Courage Curiosity Zishaan G (11J) Joe W (10J) Zayn P (9C) Naftali R (9H) Adetayo A (9M) Rafi S (9R)
Shay P (10C) Joseph W (10J) Nithushan K (10M) Yash P (10M) Dinil R (10S) Ayaan B (9J) Samuel R (9M) Ollie S (9M) Noah W (9M) Tarun S (9R) Drew P (9S)
REWARDS
Ambition
Community
Theo W (11C) Charlie S (11J) Tom F (11M) Amar M (11R) Dylan B (10H) Kian H (10H Joshua B (10M) Vivaan C (10M) Shrey K (10M) Rishi P (10M) Jacob S (10M) Nazim K (10S) Dinil R (10S) Arya F (9C) Aarav R (9C) Ishan V (9C) Ayaan B (9J) Oscar B (9J) Arkansh P (9J) Joseph L (9R) Atharv S (9R) Jaiden J (9S) Josh S (9S)
Kian B (10M) Zack D (10M) Thakshveen T (10M) Ryan M (9C) Max G (9J) Arkansh P (9J) Vivek K (9M) Ishaan V (9S)
A celebration of Credits We have been so pleased to recognise, celebrate and reward students for a wide array of efforts and achievements using our new rewards system of credits, alongside our Middle School Commendations. The following students have received 10 or more credits and have been enjoying their Joe’s café voucher rewards! A full list of Credit recipients is on the next two pages, with special mention to those receiving 20 or more. 40+ Hugh P (9H) 30+ Nathan F (11R) Aarav R (10H) Holden C (10J) Charlie F (9C) William H (9H) Danny H (9H) Rugved M (9H) Veer S (9H) Ankush V (9H) Noel W (9H) Saanidh B (9R) 20+ Ishan C (11H) Yuhki N (11H) Mekyle N (11H) Oleksandr V (11H) Alexander J (11J) Jack G (11S) Arjun R (10C) Aaryan A (10H) Arav B (10H) Kian H (10H) Shiven J (10H) Reuben K (10H) Utkarsh K (10H) Josh M (10H) Francesco P (10H) Aaron S (10H) Zach T (10H) Nithushan K (10M) Ravi K (10R) Samit V (10R) Richard Z (10R) Maanav N (10S)
Josh C ((9C) Ryan M (9C) Chu O (9C) Rayan S (9C) Ishan V (9C) Arnav C (9H) Shay D (9H) Ru D (9H) Alexander F (9H) Thushanth G (9H) Jonathan K (9H) Keane M (9H) Naftali R (9H) David T (9H) Ben P (9J) Tobey S (9J) Yash S (9J) Avyukt D (9M) Zaki G (9M) Christian P (9M) Suraj S (9M) Ollie S (9M)
Luca F (9R) Joseph L (9R) Atharv S (9R) Mirzan D (9S) Lucas M (9S) Kiyan-Raj S (9S)
A celebration of Credits Y9 Recipients of 10 Credits Year 9 Calverts Lucas C Christopher C Hayyan C Aidan C Arya F Shaurya M Hamza M Joseph N Zachary O Shay P Aarav R Louis S Daniel S Joseph S Ayan T
Year 9 Joblings Ayaan B Oscar B Luke C James F Kyle G Max G Amar M Risvithan M Sharanjan M Kyan M Arkansh P Victor S Jacob S Aarav T Aran T
Year 9 Hendersons Oliver A James C Charlsantony K Theodoros K Ariel K Aarav T Alexander Y
Year 9 Meadows Adetayo A Abhirath C Harry C Eesa D Avighnan J Vivek K Andrew L-R Roshan M Aaron N-S Alex P Samuel R Ben S Advait T Nikhil V Zac W
Year 9 Russells Tobi A Isaac C Sanhith D Shenul D S Ludwig J-S Benjamin M Ryan N Tobi O Rohan P Oscar R Tarun S George W Year 9 Strouts Rohaan C Alexander J Jaiden J Harrison L James L Adhith P Drew P Aamir S Danyal S Jay S Max S Eshaan T Josh W
A celebration of Credits Y10 Recipients of 10 Credits Year 10 Calverts Lucas A Yuvraj A Vivaan D Philip M Khai P Shay P Rishi T Year 10 Hendersons Gabriel C Oscar F Zakir H David L Arav M Moksh P Liad R Pavi S Arie T Year 10 Joblings Clement B Daniel G-J William H Cormack H Yash S Cheran S Rahul T Joe W
Year 10 Meadows Obafemi A Joshua B Ravjoth B Vivaan C Shrey K Matthews N Sohan P Daniel R Blake S Thakshveen T Year 10 Russells Aryan B Oli B Joe K Joshua P Leo S Rahil S Year 10 Strouts Jack E Shaunak G Noaz H Alexander K Nazim K Oliver P Dinil R
A celebration of Credits Y11 Recipients of 10 Credits Year 11 Calverts Amogh A Neel B Toby B Anuj C Jack C Mike H Arjan J Rafi K Albie L Year 11 Hendersons Nathan C Chun Yen C Aarav G Toby H Benjamin K Mohammed L Aaron M Deveshu N Sam P Koray R Year 11 Joblings Kian B Tom C Jamie H Kyle M Joshua N Frederick S Charlie S Edward S
Year 11 Meadows Freddie B Zakaria H Leonidas M Tharnan N Ollie O Saahil P Rudra S Rian S Reuben S Mark S Year 11 Russells Jeff C Aaron C Viraj I Amar M Saaj M Aqeel M Arjuna S Year 11 Strouts Neel B Aun-Mohamed K Sebastian M Daniel O
MIDDLE SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES
Middle School Assembly (January) A tale of two journeys On 17 January, Years 9 and 10 came together for a Middle School assembly of uplifting tales. Mr Lawrence spoke about two voyages: Captain Scott’s Terra Nova expedition of courage, discovery and bravery on this same day (17 January) 1912. and compared this with Ruth Major (a retired teacher who made the headlines) who travelled across Britain last summer picking up litter. Two contrasting tales determination and endeavour. We reflected on the importance of appreciating the world around us, keeping our community clean and respecting one another’s property. Ms Hooker shared a tale of the inspiring kindness here, Sebbie, who also hit the headlines for his display of kindness. A story of kindness towards others and we reflected on our Middle School Aim of kindness towards ourselves and others.
MIDDLE SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES
Middle School Assembly (February) Our School and British Values On 2 February, Mr Lawrence, Mr Sykes and Mr Bass spoke with students about our school, our values and British Values. Mr Sykes underlined our boundaries and spoke about the importance of community sharing what is and what is not acceptable in terms of positive behaviours and respect for one another. We enjoyed a mesmerising piano recital from Isaac C (9R) performing Berceuse by Ilynsky. An uplifting start to the day. Mr Bass, Head of PSHCEE delivered a captivating reminder of ‘Prevent’, the Protected Characteristics, British Values all within a context of scholarship and literature too. Mr Bass made links with The Handmaid’s Tale, Divergent, Brave New World, 1984 and Lord of the Flies to name a few, bringing this important piece of society values into our context here at school. Pictured below: Our newly appointed Y11 Assembly Monitor team (Daniel O, Jamie H, Krishan K, Albie L and Mark R). Isaac C (9R) performing his recital.
ANTI BULLYING FOCUS GROUP
Anti bullying focus group At lunchtime on Friday 2 February, Middle School students met with Mrs Shooter, Mr Lawrence and Ms Hooker to discuss positive behaviour and how to foster a culture of anti-bullying in the school. Open and honest discussions enabled thoughtful reflection and sharing of advice. Our focus groups meet regularly as a channel of communication for student voice and for positive action to further develop our community value of creating a safe and supportive environment for all. Our special thanks to those students involved.
Currently reading
CURRENTLY READING
What are your teachers currently reading? Mrs McEwan-Cox says: Cultures collide in 12 short stories about life in Nigeria and the US: “Boys who had grown up watching Sesame Street, reading Enid Blyton, eating cornflakes for breakfast, attending the university staff primary school. . . . were now cutting through the mosquito netting of their neighbours' windows, sliding out glass louvers, and climbing in to steal TVs and VCRs” Dr Nelson says: Luc Ferry's A Brief History of Thought is a beautiful exposition of the five key movements of Western thought: Stoicism, Christianity, Humanism, Existentialism and Postmodernity. It demonstrates that far from being the preserve of ivory towers, philosophy offers practical answers to the deepest questions of the human condition: How can I face death? How should I live? And what must I do to be saved? It shows us, in the words of Montaigne, that 'to philosophise is to learn how to die.' Mrs Bardou is reading: Letter to My Younger Self. My oldest friend gifted this to my daughter at Christmas and I couldn’t put it down. As the blurb says: If you could write a letter to your younger self, what would it say? Over 10 years ago, The Big Issue began to ask some of the best-known, most interesting and most successful figures in entertainment, politics, food, sport and business to give advice, offer hope and share a few jokes with their younger selves. They opened up, in ways they never had, to interviewer Jane Graham, reflecting on their lives and themselves with affection, sympathy and sometimes disbelief. I found their rawness and honesty to be both moving and inspiring. Strongly recommend for the middle school. Mr Pearson recently finished reading Black and British by David Olusoga. An excellent insight into the history of the black population of Britain.
CURRENTLY READING
Mr Oldfield is currently reading ‘Around the World in 80 Games’. Marcus du Sautoy, a Maths professor at Oxford, takes you through games from around the world that in some way involve Maths in the creation of the game or its playing. Dr Bay is currently reading The Atlas Six by Olivia Blake
Six morally grey magicians are inducted into the elite Alexandrian Society, where they are given the opportunity to study in a sentient library to unlock the knowledge of their dreams and others’ nightmares. Dark academia at its best - slick and witty, centred around a set of strangely compelling narcissists.
Student successes and volunteering
MUSIC SUCCESS
Music Certificates Congratulations to the follow students for their success in their Music performance exams: Isaac C 9R – passed Grade 7 in the piano with Distinction William L 9J – passed Grade 6 in the violin with Distinction Ishaan V 9S – passed Grade 2 in the bassoon with Distinction Jacob S 9J – passed Grade 4 in the violin with Distinction Arkansh P 9J – passed Grade 8 in the clarinet with Distinction Ollie S 9M – passed Grade 4 in the French Horn with Distinction Philip M 10C – passed Grade 3 in the piano with Distinction Shiven J 10H – passed Grade 5 in the Classical Guitar with Distinction Zayn P 9C – passed Grade 5 Music Theory with Distinction
MUSIC AT HABS HALL
Aarav R (10H) performs at Habs Hall Congratulations to Aarav R (10H) who performed at Habs Hall on Tuesday 6 February 2024. Aarav performed alongside ten students from ten different Habs schools across England and Wales. It was a fantastic experience for Aarav to mix with other Habs students, share talents and enjoy one another’s performances. The standard of the evening was fantastic. Photo below of Aarav together with Girls School student, Sedona (Y10).
SPORTING SUCCESS
Samuel Z (10S) on his recent tennis success In January I travelled to Belgium to compete against players from all over the world in an 18U ITF tennis tournament. It was my first time playing this type of event and I did not have high expectations going into it, being one of the youngest players there. I could immediately tell that the atmosphere was very different to any tournament I had played before. The level was much higher, and players and staff seemed much more professional. My first match was against a French player who I narrowly lost to last year. Going into this match I was nervous but ready to embrace the challenge. I played extremely well from the start and ended up winning the match decisively in straight sets. The win was a much-needed boost to my confidence and helped on the following day to come through a tough 3 hour battle vs a Spanish player 2 years older. The match went to a deciding tiebreak where I won 10-3. I only had a couple of hours to recover before the final match. Physically exhausted, I managed to push through and win once again in deciding tiebreak 10-6 against a 17 year-old Belgian player, earning a spot in the main draw. As I was scheduled to play on Tuesday, I used the time on Monday to catch up on the schoolwork I missed and get ahead with my homework. In the main draw I faced the 4th seeded player ranked 700 in the world. He was 3 years older and was able to overpower me with the pace of his serve and shots. In the coming weeks I will focus on improving my serve return and volleys which will enable me to neutralise players with power such as his, and put them under more pressure.
It is wonderful to see a student in Year 10 who is working hard to balance sports and school life. Samuel speaks of our school values and demonstrates courage; playing an older player who is highly ranked. It is fantastic to see Middle School students embodying our values and we hope to share more sporting successes throughout the year.
SPORTING SUCCESS
Habs U14A team – Habs Rugby 7s Festival
Mr Metcalfe writes: It is always difficult to gauge the relative strength of a group of young sportsmen at Lower School level as tournaments at year 7 and 8 do not generally include the full might of the major public schools. Last year, this group of Haberdashers won the U13 tournament at the festival but this time around we would see the U14 squad pitching themselves against the likes of Wellington College, Brighton College, Stowe, St Paul`s and Hurstpierpoint for the very first time. A true test of character and skill. In topping group A by beating Brighton College, Stowe and St Albans, the squad showed that they were more than capable of competing against `the big boys` of the South of England. They then went on to beat a dogged Wellington College in the semi-final in front of a good crowd of youngsters from our school. It is these moments that serve to inspire young pupils and it is hoped that we can provide more opportunities of this nature in the future. The final was played against St Paul`s School who had in their ranks the son of Hugh Vyvyan who had played more than 300 games for Saracens during a stellar playing career. The squad competed well in the first half against a team who possessed a little bit more experience than us and a beautifully crafted long range try from Chu kept us in the hunt. However, tired legs and a pressing St Paul`s defence saw us having to play from deep in the second half and any errors inevitably resulted in us conceding tries. Despite the defeat, it was a magnificent effort from our squad and those connected with the group were delighted with how they had imposed themselves on some very illustrious opponents throughout the afternoon. We look forward to seeing this group develop in the years ahead. My thanks to Mr Taberner and Mr Hughes for investing their time and expertise in preparing the squad. The spirit of the festival was captured by the mutual respect and friendship shown for one another from the teams involved. The Squad: Josh W (9S), Rex Z (9R), Luca F (9R), Amar M (9J), Tobiloba A (9R), Lucas C (9C), Ahren D(9J), Luke K (9J), Lani J (9R), Dilan N (9S) and Chu O (9C). Congratulations also to the Habs 2nd VII: Aryan N (11H), Zeeshan C (11S), Freddie B (11M), Leo M (11M), Harry B (Capt) (13M), Max L (12S), Holden M (12J), Alex J (11J), Harry W (12S), Rocco T (11R), Adam S (12H) and Koray R (11H)
STUDENT SUCCESSES
One Vision Arkansh P (9J) partnered up with charity One Vision earlier this term as an opportunity to engage with and contribute to a local charity. Arkansh participated in the various activities required to distribute food and other essential items to the people in need. The activities involved bringing the heavy crates of food and other daily use items from the storage area, arranging them on the shelf and making packages of food and other essential items for people in need. Arkansh shared: “I really valued working with the charity which endeavours to provide practical support to the community particularly through their food program, community engagement and mental health awareness initiative and have volunteered to support this charity whenever the next opportunity arises.” Fantastic to hear of Arkansh’s brilliant support of OneVision and display of our Middle School aim having “a strong moral compass” and being “a role model to others”.
STUDENT SUCCESSES
ECF National Schools Chess Championships Congratulations to Louis S (9C) and Avyukt D (9M) on their victory against Northwood School in round one of the regional stage of the ECF National Schools Chess Championships. This secures a place in the second round, and ultimately, should they win, into the national finals in June. We are, as ever, proud of the commitment and dedication shown by our students in representing the school. They demonstrated grace and humility towards their opponents at the host school. The students deserve every accolade for their talents, sportsmanship as well as successfully managing their academic responsibilities.
Students selected for National Cross-Country Finals Students competed in the Herts Schools Cross Country Championships on Saturday 03 February 2024. Congratulations to Middle School student, Josh H (10C) who finished second in the Inter Boys race which was a brilliant achievement. Josh also qualifies for the National Final.
STUDENT SUCCESSES
Languages Week Talent Show 2023 Congratulations to Louis S (9C) for his certificate of achievement for demonstrating outstanding talent in the Habs Languages Week Talent Show 2023! Louis sang a Czech song as part of the Talent Show and wowed the judges! Well done, Louis!
Inaugural 'Mathvent' Our inaugural "MATHVENT" (Maths advent) Competition ran in December 2023. Each day, a festive maths problem was posted electronically at 08:00 in the Maths Department. Students competed by completing the maths problems individually and posting their solutions in the MATHVENT post box by the end of the school day. The quicker the correct solutions were received, the more points allocated. There was a buzz of excitement for Maths and problem solving every school day in December with nearly 80 students from Year 7 to 13 taking part, as well as some from the Girls’ School. A big congratulations to our winners: First Place: Joseph L (9R) Second Place: Ollie S (9M) Joint 3rd Place: Oliver W (12M) and Zach O (9C)
STUDENT SUCCESSES
British Maths Olympiad Middle School student, Joseph L (9R), competed in the Senior Maths Challenge in October last year and subsequently qualified for the British Maths Olympiad Round 1 in December, for which only 1000 students across the UK take part in. We were so proud to learn that Joseph’s results qualified him to sit the British Maths Olympiad Round 2, of which only 100 students across the UK qualify for. Only one other Habs student qualified (Thomas N in Y13). We are waiting the results with eager anticipation. This is an incredible achievement as these challenges are aimed at Sixth Form students, the level of questions are very difficult, and it is super impressive that Joseph has achieved such amazing results at each level. Joseph says: “On the 24 January, I sat the British Maths Olympiad Round 2 after successfully qualifying through the Senior Maths Challenge and the British Maths Olympiad Round 1. It was a 3.5 hour paper consisting of four very challenging questions. I was really proud to be one of the 100 students invited to sit this paper in the UK. During the test I managed to solve one of the questions which I was extremely happy with. I am very appreciative of the sixth form students and Mr Haring who helped me prepare for the challenge.” Well done, Joseph – we are rooting for you!
Meet the Counsellor
COUNSELLING AT HABS
A conversation with Mr Grufferty (School Counsellor) Firstly by way of introduction. I am Brendan Grufferty, the School Counsellor here at Habs Boys and this is my third year at the school. As such I know Middle School students quite well and I have supported many students through their middle school years. Counselling at Habs Boys forms a significant part of the Pastoral Care support within the school community and is available to all students from Pre-Prep to Sixth Form. Counselling itself is a talking therapy that involves a trained therapist listening to you and helping you find ways to deal with emotional issues. Counselling is a private and confidential service however there is exception to this when any safeguarding matter arises and at that point information is shared on a need-to-know basis with the Designated Safeguarding Lead for the School. This duty is at all times intended to keep our students safe. The Counselling space is now located in E03 on the Ground Floor of the Old English Block in a new specifically designed space for individual one to one work as well as meetings and group work as necessary. Referrals for counselling generally arise from two routes, either as a selfreferral where the student reaches out to the Counsellor directly or via a member of staff and mostly through the House System where a student has either requested support or being identified as needing support and encouraged to talk to somebody. Sometimes concerns maybe dealt within the house system however there are always occasions when additional support may be required, and counselling may meet that need. In working with Children and Adolescents I can safely say, without criticism or judgement, that the middle school years are maybe the most challenging years to work with when it comes to wellbeing and mental health. It’s because it’s the years of greatest change in a person’s life and so isn’t the fault of the young person or parents, caregivers, or educators, but rather it’s a confusing time of great change associated with brain development, the move from childhood to adolescence and a move from carefree and in the moment play and spontaneity to selfconsciousness greater capacity for reflection and metacognition (thoughts about thoughts). I remember my own move from carefree, playful innocence to suddenly been aware of myself and reflecting on myself as a person and my behaviours and not being particularly comfortable with the whole experience. And I withdrew. I quietened. Emerging some years later in the equivalent of Sixth Form years here at Habs. I emerged as an adult. In doing so I had missed so much of my adolescence and what that might have been. I often say it was those formative years that shaped the person I am now and informs the role I do now. If only I had known a little bit more information on the why of that change and that it is a natural, if not easy change. It is this reason that you will see so many books titled ‘The Teenage Brain’.
COUNSELLING AT HABS
These are all about child development and the changes characterised by that time of a person’s life including interestingly the pruning of neural pathways and the consolidation and strengthening of other neural pathways. And the way we establish neural pathways? That is routine and practice. In short. Habits. Hopefully healthy positive balanced habits. It's worth reflecting on a statistic that often struck me when it comes to mental health and wellbeing. Before stating it though it’s worth acknowledging that we all have mental health and it exists on a continuum from struggling to flourishing or healthy. And our place on this continuum can change from experience to experience. It’s also worth noting that feeling low on a given day or feeling low from time to time does not constitute a mental health disorder and likewise getting anxious about schoolwork or exams from time to time does not constitute an anxiety disorder. In fact feeling some anxiety is normal. If focusses our mind on what is important at that moment and asks us to pay attention to that priority. That statistic then. Half of all mental health conditions in adults are established by the age of 14 and 75% of all mental health conditions are established by the age of 24. The message here then is that early intervention, early notice, and early support and help is critical to reducing the numbers of our future adults living with a mental health condition. And it is possible to reduce this statistic. Here at Habs Boys we have a Mental Health and Wellbeing Group ‘Talking Hearts’ and in that group we run a programme called ‘Conversations’, an interview style programme where we open up conversations around wellbeing and mental health. The programme deliberately ends with a line which lends its name to the programme title ‘It starts with a conversation’. All change starts with a conversation. It involves somebody noticing something in a child, a change perhaps, withdrawl, a loss of interest maybe or a change in behaviour and attitude. And then the right approach, the right words, as few words as possible even and just interest and curiosity and willingness to listen without rushing in with a solution. It starts with courage, and a child feeling the trust in another person to share how they feel or to ask questions and try to learn and understand what might be going on for them.
COUNSELLING AT HABS
There are some starters though to wellbeing and good mental health. I call these foundations upon which a life then stands upon. With a solid foundation we can experience stability and strength. They come down to choices and may not always be easy to do however they apply as a principle whether I am talking to a Year 4 student or a Year 13 student and so this is advice for our middle school students too. When we create balance in our life in 5 or 6 essential ingredients of our day to day life then we are more likely to ensure positive mental health. These are principles I apply to my own life for the most part and at times I may notice the balance shift and I have become more preoccupied with one or more of these elements then I remind myself of the balance and reestablish the balance. I will start with sleep and in doing so I have taken on the most challenging one of all to apply for middle school aged students. Why? Because the teenage brain is developing and growing so quickly it requires more energy and time to replenish during sleep and so teenagers and middle school students may need to sleep more and so may struggle with early morning routine and getting to bed early. For this age group 8 and a half hours to 9 hours good sleep is required and when I talk about good sleep I talk about establishing and practicing a sleep hygiene routine. Food provides the energy for our bodies and so regular meals through the day with healthy snacking and a balance of all the food groups. This is a time of your life the brain is working hard and requires energy and short sharp sugar hits such as energy drinks or sugary carbs are not the best choice to ensure we are at our optimum for our busy lives. Exercise is probably one of the best ways you can look after your mental health. I try to run every day and this isn’t excessive or pushing myself particularly hard. In fact for my well-being and mental health the more I can relax and enjoy being in that experience the better I feel. It also provides a break and separation from work or school, necessary to reset and reenergise. Exercise burns off stress hormones as well as accelerating the excretion of toxins from the body but of course also increases immunity, strengthens significant body organs and muscle which supports the body structure as just some examples of the benefits. Exercise can be whatever you best associate and feel comfortable with and so dance or playing football are as beneficial as maybe running are because you have to feel it is something you can tolerate, even enjoy, in order to be maintained.
COUNSELLING AT HABS
Briefly there are other life ingredients in the mix. The need for a life purpose, which for all of our middle school students is attending school and learning and this also needs to be balanced. It is my experience in this role that students can often struggle to find this balance and if any one of the life ingredients is to take over to the detriment of others then I feel it can be this one. As the years progress at school there can be the tendency to dedicate more time to academic work. However, in the balance of the 24 hour day, we still only have 24 hours in a day regardless of how much more work we feel is expected or demanded of us. There is also the need to relax and factor in time for the things we love and enjoy. For me that will always involve time in nature, photography and reading for example and there are many things in my life I work for and live for. And you must make time and balance time in doing the things you enjoy and feeling the benefit of having experienced those things before returning to more mundane and maybe non-optional aspects of living e.g. homework. And finally, there is social connectedness. We all need people, and we all need to find our group and the people we enjoy being around and with. In my work and particularly with children and young people I unfortunately encounter a lot of loneliness and lack of social connectedness or finding your group. This particularly happens in middle school years associated with that change and self-consciousness which can leave somebody feeling like they don’t fit in and don’t belong. I often explore with students that this is their thoughts and perception in the main and maybe they are projecting this view to others as something others see. We might work to challenge this. We all have our own spotlight on ourselves. But not everyone has the same spotlight on us. They have their own lives, thoughts and struggles to deal with. So, we have to let go of some of our negative bias and thoughts and become a little more flexible and rational in our thinking. The success rate for counselling is often very high but not guaranteed of course. Predicators of positive change are a young persons recognition of a difficulty, openness to share and readiness to change. Counselling is very different to regular student – teacher interactions in that a counsellor will explore difficulties and help raise self-awareness and therefore identify ways to deal with issues. I have often experienced the frustration of students who may sometimes seek a quick fix solution to a problem without having to spend time exploring it and understanding it. When it comes to wellbeing and mental health there is never one clear answer and way to deal with a difficulty as the experience will be different for everyone based on many different factors including life journey and experience or personality type for example. For those who found the patience and tolerance to allow themselves the experience of counselling and let go of the urgency for a fix, answers have come and positive change has come. There’s a final point to make here. There is consistent correlation between academic achievement and wellbeing and good mental health. My experience here at Habs and indeed my previous school, is often students will prioritise academic progress over well-being but there’s a case always to be made that looking after your mental health, seeking support for things that trouble you can and will lead to better academic achievement and outcomes. To find out more about Counselling or to explore if Counselling might help you, you can speak to the school counsellor in person or email counsellor@habsboys.org.uk It starts with a conversation.
News
CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE
Year 9 Climate Change Conference 2024 Report by Leo Z (9C), Aaron P (9R) and Kingsley S (9S)
On Tuesday the 6 of February Year 9 attended a MUN climate change conference with other schools from around the area including Habs Girls, St Columbus, Immanuel College, and Parmiters. We started off the day having a very informative talk by a guest speaker called Professor Ian Candy. He talked about the impacts of climate change and how it has affected him as well. He started off the talk by describing to us how in his area there had been lots of floods and he also told us how close the floods were to his house, which was quite ironic because he should have known about living right next to a flood plain, as he was a climate expert himself. There was also a main road that had been flooded and the Thames River which runs parallel to some buildings had overflowed by a lot. This led on to how floods would become much more frequent in countries like the UK because of the increase in annual rainfall as well as rising sea levels. This would mean that the rainfall would drastically increase during the winter months but during the summer months there would be a severe decrease in rainfall, as well as droughts. Essentially this would lead to the same average rainfall annually, but the winter and summer months would have significantly contrasting levels of rainfall, with summers getting hotter and dryer and winters getting colder and wetter. The guest speaker also mentioned sea level rise - he said that sea levels would rise by a lot, perhaps meters, because both poles would melt, and this would inject a huge amount of water into the world’s oceans. This is due to ice melting, which reduces ice cover so less heat is reflected into space, and more is absorbed, and this starts a cycle. An increase in sea levels would lead to many countries, especially islands such as Tuvalu, potentially being submerged underwater, as well as there many being more coastal floods. To conclude, this meeting was really enjoyable and informative, and we learnt a lot about the effect of climate change on regions around the world as well as the world as a whole. We also enjoyed the experience of being around other schools and for next year it would be nice to mix with other schools as well and swap locations, so that maybe the conference could be held at their schools instead. Also, the talk at the start was really helpful for our debates later as we could apply the knowledge we had just learnt.
CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE
He then talked about temperature increase and how by 2100 much of the earth would look like desert. It’s shocking how in some parts of the world, it is predicted for there to be a 7 degree Celsius rise, especially the very northern latitudes. Governments from around the world are worrying about a 1.5 degree rise right now (the Paris Agreement), but imagine what it would be like if it was on average 7 degrees hotter every single day. He then displayed a graph which predicted that the polar regions would increase most in temperature and rest of the world would also increase but just not as much. He showed us possibilities, called climate scenarios, about how the world would be if we carried on as we are right now compared to if we cut down emissions. Professor Ian Candy then talked about our water supply and how mountains are water stores. He then answered any questions that any of us had. Some interesting questions included, when would the world be too hot to live on? How would countries’ economy change with the climate? He gave detailed answers about this, and he explained that the world would not be too hot to live on any time soon because of all the mountains, polar regions, glaciers, and icebergs, however, it would significantly affect how daily lives. After the talk we then went to three separate locations which were the Prevett Hall, Old Refectory and the Bourne Hall. Our class was in the Old Refectory, along with St Columbus. We were all put into groups, and we represented different countries, and we held a Model United Nations (MUN) styled debated, in which everyone had to persuade everyone else to vote for them. To start off, each group had two sheets of paper. One sheet provided statistics on carbon dioxide emissions of many different countries annually, along with the carbon emissions per person. On the other sheet, everyone produced a resolution on how to reduce carbon emissions as a global community. After 10 minutes, one delegate from each country had to announce their resolution, and then the voting would begin. Everyone had 4 stickers, meaning they could vote up to four countries, whichever they thought had a good resolution. The countries that made it to the finale were selected to pitch their resolutions and ideas to the rest of the groups. They had to make a little speech and be prepared to answer any questions that were asked about their plans. Other countries had the opportunity to challenge their emission resolutions, and this would result in countries trying to tactfully answer, although in some scenarios, this would be evading the question. It was a really interesting debate overall, with excellent and thought-provoking questions being asked. An interesting twist in the conference was that a country had passed with three votes – an error. This was only realised in the middle of their argument, and the country was disqualified because they hadn’t got four votes.
YEAR 9 NEWS
GCSE Options and Digital Learning update On Wednesday 24 January, Mr Lawrence, Mr Bown and Mr Brennan spoke with students about their GCSE options and a digital learning update. Key take away points: GCSE Options: ü Students were encouraged to have conversations with subject teachers, form tutors and older students to get a really good understanding of what each subject involves to make an informed decision. ü Pick subjects students enjoy and are interested in. ü Pick subjects that will keep doors open to you – those interested in a career in Medicine advised to take all three sciences and those interested in a career in Architecture advised to study Art for example. Digital learning update: Mr Bown presented the results from the Y9 digital teaching and learning survey and summarised the key changes for the Spring Term, with a shift to a more blended approach through: ü Every Y9 pupil having a paper class book for each subject to handwrite extended class work or homework written responses in. Stylus's will be sued to complete short-tasks and annotations directly onto OneNote. ü Some lessons being device free. ü Whilst homework tasks are still set on Assignments in MS Teams, there is no requirement that pupils must use their device to complete the work Mr Bown reminded all pupils to ensure they bring their charger, stylus and device to every lesson. At the start of next half-term, we will also be surveying students again to gain feedback on their digital learning experience.
YEAR 9 NEWS
The Keith Dawson Project The Dawson Project is well and truly underway. Year 9 have finished their first draft and are receiving advice and support from Year 12 to help refine and develop their projects. There has been a palpable buzz in the English department with 52 Year 12 students offering their time to help Year 9.
All students will have the opportunity to attend workshops before and after half term, so we hope they make the most of these to prepare for the final submission on 15 March.
Dragons' Den update Following an excellent workshop by entrepreneur Ben Kaye last term, participating students were invited to pitching preparation workshops to help them consider how to deliver an effective pitch. The teams put all of this into practice and delivered very polished and impressive 3 minute pitches to our panel of external judges, receiving valuable feedback on all aspects of their business idea. The students were praised on the quality of their pitches and their ability to think on their feet to answer some very challenging questions. We are extremely grateful to Laura Rudoe and Emma Harvey for delivering the pitching workshops, and Khilan Dodhia, Rajesh Shah and Gemma Lyons for their time, support and valuable feedback during the heats. The judges this year are: Khilan Dodhia and Rajesh Shah (both Encore Capital), Andrew Bloch (PR Consultant) and Gemma Lyons. The heats are on the following dates (all from 4.15-5.15): • • •
Heat 1: Thursday 1 February, Old Refectory Heat 2: Tuesday 6 February, GS Lecture Theatre Heat 3: Thursday 8 February, Old Refectory
Congratulations to all participants and best of luck for the next heats.
MOCK EXAMS FOLLOW UP
Mock exams support Mrs Bardou in the Academic Support team is offering bespoke sessions for individuals or groups to support post mocks. This can focus on revision timetables, going through papers and discussing revision tools . Mrs Bardou will offer a listening and supportive ear for one-off or more sessions as required. These can be at a time to suit you before school, lunchtime or after school. If in doubt, get in touch because there might be one point that we discuss that can help you feel guided in your learning. Students’ first port of call should always be their subject teacher with a focus on subject specific support. The Academic Support team together with Form Tutors are working with students on study skills, revision techniques and preparation for revision.
Next half term…
COMING UP NEXT HALF TERM FOR YEARS 9 - 10
Study Skills Workshops Next half term, Year 9 students will have their next Study Skills Workshop on Time Management on 4 March 2024. Year 10 students will have their next Study Skills Workshop on Mastering Your Memory on 11 March 2024.
Auditions for two new shows Following the success of last year’s Middle School productions of Brainstorm and All the things I never said, auditions for this year’s productions will take place next half term. Two new shows (one scripted and one devised) will go on in the summer term. All students in Years 9 and 10 at the Boys’ and Girls’ Schools are encouraged to audition regardless of experience.
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Chinese New Year, A Celebration
CHINESE NEW YEAR – A CELEBRATION
STUDENT ARTICLE
Celebrating Chinese New Year, by William L (9J)
Illustration by Arya F (9C) Today, around two billion people celebrate Chinese New Year from around the world. It is one of the most important times of the year in the Chinese calendar, due to a long history and the traditions associated with it. It has been around for over 4000 years, but only in the Xi Han Dynasty was it considered an official festival, becoming an extremely important time of year and being celebrated by most Chinese families. Now, it is a widely recognised and appreciated festival, with families worldwide taking it as an opportunity to come together and recognise this important time of year. Origins and Myths The Nian Monster Myth: A long time ago, there was a monster called ‘Nian’, which was a ferocious beast with terrifying looks. Every day, it ate something different, from small bugs to flying animals like birds. However, every 365 days, or one year, it would travel from its abode in the mountains to the places where humans lived. It travelled and arrived at night, but always left before the morning. After some time, the people figured out the patterns that Nian lived by, going to visit them every year. After realising this, they were scared, and every time that they knew Nian would come, they hid from Nian to not be threatened by it. Not knowing what Nian would do on that night when it came, people started to prepare for the worst, and carried out lots of actions just in case they became a victim of the monster. So, families cooked a large meal, and came together to eat it, having a wide variety of delicious foods before facing Nian. After this, they would put out all fires and wait out the night, waiting to face the Nian and hiding from it, hoping that it would not harm them. One day, by chance, an elderly person found out that Nian was most afraid of the colour red, fireworks, and loud explosions. From then on, every year people would hang up red Spring Festival couplets on their homes, have fireworks, leave a candle lit all night and stay up late into the ‘New Year’. Nian was too afraid of all this, and never dared to go back. Hence the colour red became a colour that represented fortune, and people always have a large meal and stay up all night into the New Year.
STUDENT ARTICLE CONTINUED…
Animal Race: Each Spring Festival is represented by an animal, and there is a cycle of 12 animals, called a zodiac. 2024 will be the year of the dragon. This story is about how the order was selected. There are different versions, but the idea is very similar. The Jade Emperor called for a race on his birthday between different animals. He wanted to create a time measurement for the people. The first twelve animals to cross a rapid river would gain a place on the Chinese zodiac. The cat and the rat were enemies but were smart and decided to jump onto the ox. The generous ox agreed to give them a ride, but the rat was so eager to win, it pushed the cat into the river, and the cat was no longer part of the race. Near the end, the rat jumped of the ox, in front of it, and came first. The ox followed, and in third came the tiger. The rabbit was agile, jumping from stone to stone, but it slipped. It managed to grab onto a log, finished fourth. The dragon came next. Everyone was surprised that it didn’t finish first, as it had the ability to fly. It told the Jade Emperor that it had to help some villagers on the way, and as it was about to finish, it saw the rabbit on the log, and gave it a puff of air to help it across the finish line. The horse came to the finish, but the sneaky snake was hidden from the horse. It suddenly appeared and scared the horse, and it finished in sixth, with the horse following in seventh. The monkey, rooster and sheep helped each other finish. The sheep came eighth, the monkey in ninth and the rooster in tenth. The dog was too tempted by the fresh water in the river and had a bath, so it came in eleventh. The pig was quite lazy. It felt hungry in the race and ate, then fell asleep before finally waking up and finishing in twelfth place. Though this was a myth, your zodiac animal and its behaviour in the race can say something about your personality. For example, people whose zodiac is a dragon are thought to be warm-hearted and enthusiastic. Today, people celebrate Chinese New Year in many ways. Below are some of the most popular traditions that most families celebrating the festival will carry out: Red Envelopes: Adults gift red envelopes to children, which contain money inside. They are a sign of good fortune and prosperity.
STUDENT ARTICLE CONTINUED…
Decorations: People hang lots of decorations on their homes in Chinese New Year. They are usually red, with words that contain special meanings embossed on them. One of the most popular examples is 福到家 (fu dao jia). In Mandarin, ‘dao’ means ‘arrive’, but it also sounds like the word for ‘upside down’, so people hang a sign with the word ‘fu’ (meaning good fortune) upside down. This symbolises the good fortune arriving to their homes in the Spring Festival. Lion Dance: lions are symbolic or wisdom and power in Chinese culture, so a lion dance is often carried out to bring good fortune and drive away evil spirits. People clean up their homes and wear red to bring good fortune and to bring a new start to the new year. Food: There is a massive variety of foods in Chinese culture, but the most popular foods on Chinese New Year include dumplings, sweet rice balls and fish as well as other meats. People eat these in specific ways, for example they put pistachios, candy and coins in dumplings. If you can eat a dumpling with a coin in it, it symbolises good fortune in the new year. Pistachios represent happiness, because in Mandarin the word for pistachios sounds like ‘happy nuts’. Getting candy in a dumpling means the next year will be very sweet. All in all, Chinese New Year is a truly special celebration. The traditions involved are very unique and unlike any other event. It has always been very important, and today it is still the most relevant holiday in Chinese culture. From myths to food, there is lots to take in about this wondrous festival, and it is very meaningful to appreciate the Spring Festival. I wish everybody a happy Year of the Dragon!
⻰年⼤吉 恭喜发财 ⾝体健康 万事如意 春节快乐 From left to right: Good luck in the year of the Dragon, may you be happy and prosperous, wishing you good health, may all go well with you, happy Spring Festival!
CALLIGRAPHY WORKSHOP
Chinese New Year Calligraphy Workshop @ The Bourne Library
Chinese calligraphy is a fine art that is often regarded as one of the oldest forms of writing in existence. Calligraphy, the creation of the written characters on thin paper, has traditionally been revered as one of the highest forms of Chinese Art. Students took part and learnt the ancient art of Chinese brush stroke calligraphy with traditional brushes, red paper, and ink. After the half term break, Ms Leung and Mr Chan will be hosting a ‘pop in’ workshop where all participants will have a chance to try calligraphy and take home their work.
STUDENT INTERVIEW
Chinese New Year - Interview with Mrs Tooley, Director of Marketing and Communications, Hari D (10C) and Ashish G (10J) Last Thursday we interviewed Mrs Tooley about Chinese New Year. Mrs Tooley was born in Singapore, a port in the east of Asia which is a melting pot of traditions from China and Malysia as well as the rest of South East Asia. Due to its close position to China and the large Chinese demographic in Singapore Chinese New Year is declared as a national holiday and is celebrated across the country. As we talked to her we covered a range of topics from how she celebrated in Singapore which consisted of elaborate dinners, visiting family, beautiful dragon dances and adhering to old traditions like not using a knife on New Year's Eve and not cleaning the house. We compared this to how she celebrates now which while being slightly less elaborate still honours old traditions and helps bring family together. One of the main points which both Mrs Tooley and me stressed in the interview is the importance of reconnecting with family. In Singapore Mrs Tooley would do this by going round to all of her relative’s houses while here in the UK I have a big family dinner with my grandparents talking with everyone around the table. Another important point we raised was food and the diversity which it offers across the whole of Asia. For example near Tibet, food is mostly vegetarian while in Beijing food may be considered more stereotypically Chinese. In other places such as Shenzhen food is much more spicy. This is a great way to show the cultural diversity of China. In conclusion it was great to talk to Mrs Tooley and we learnt lots about Chinese New Year.
STUDENT INTERVIEW
Chinese New Year student interview What are your family’s Chinese New Year traditions? In my family, Chinese New Year is a time of new beginnings. We usually begin by thoroughly cleaning the house to sweep away any bad luck from the previous year. Then, we gather for a festive dinner on the eve of the New Year. The menu often includes traditional dishes, like fish for prosperity and dumplings for wealth. Are there any specific activities of significance in Chinese New Year? The most common tradition that's particularly meaningful for me is the giving and receiving of red envelopes or "hongbao." It symbolizes good luck and blessings. They also contain money from relatives, which helps towards building a brighter future for everyone. Another activity is lighting firecrackers to ward off evil spirits, although we don’t do this. How has celebrating Chinese New Year evolved for you over the years? As I've grown older, I've come to appreciate the familial aspects even more. It's not just about the festivities and delicious food; it's about spending quality time with family, on many occasions travelling home to China to reunite with my parents’ relatives and local people, who pass down traditions to me. The sense of home and connection is what makes it truly special for me. Can you share a specific memory or experience from a past Chinese New Year? One particularly memorable Chinese New Year was in 2015, when my extended family from different parts of the country all gathered at my great grandparents' (tai lao lao’s) house in Southern Henan. It was a rare occasion where multiple households came together (many of whom I had not seen for many years), and the house was filled with laughter, stories, and the aroma of festive dishes. For me, it really strengthened the message of family being behind you all throughout your life. Why is Chinese New Year significant for you on a personal level? Chinese New Year is more than just a cultural celebration; it's a time to reflect on our heritage, strengthen family bonds, and set positive intentions for the coming year. It's a reminder of the values that have been passed down through generations and an opportunity to express gratitude for the blessings in our lives. For me, it's a cherished moment to connect with my roots and celebrate the richness of Chinese culture. What is a common colloquial Chinese term used in Chinese New Year? 恭喜发财, or gōng xǐ fā cá (phonetically: gong shi far tsai), meaning may you be happy and prosperous). It can be interpreted both financially (a new year with new opportunities of wealth and prosperity) and mentally/spiritually, through fulfilment of the mind and the blessing of the soul. This is a term often exchanged when giving hongbao’s to each other. Richard Z (10R)
CALENDAR DATES MIDDLE SCHOOL PLAY 4 – 6 FEBRUARY HALF TERM – 12-16 FEBRUARY SCHOOL CLOSED INSET DAY - 19 FEBRUARY HOUSE DRAMA - 20 FEBRUARY PARENT INFORMATION EVENING: DR KATHY WESTON WITH DR HAZEL BAGWORTH-MANN AND MR ROBERT SYKES – 26 FEBRUARY YEAR 9 TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS WORKSHOP – 4 MARCH YEAR 10 MASTERING YOUR MEMORY STUDY SKILLS WORKSHOP – 11 MARCH YEAR 9 RSHE MORNING WITH BROOK – 12 MARCH PG3 PUBLISHED – 15 MARCH Y10 REPORTS – 27 MARCH END OF SPRING TERM – 27 MARCH
For further information, please refer to the school calendar on Firefly.