47 minute read
A round-up of school life from the Michaelmas Term
News
Three Inch Fools Performance of Romeo and Juliet
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CJC
Year 8 students watched the London-based theatre troupe, Three Inch Fools, deliver a terrific performance of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet last term.
Students studied this text in the first half of the Michaelmas Term and the Three Inch Fools performance contextualised pupils’ prior learning. The students enjoyed a professional programme from a national touring theatre company that has just three performers and one musician. The company put on a brilliant adaptation of the literary classic, leaving many of the pupils enthralled. Michelle Teibo said: ‘My favourite part was the opening scene of the play: the ingenuity of using instruments as weapons onstage.’ Max Leek’s favourite parts were ‘the songs and music because I felt completely engulfed and absorbed in the world they created.’ And the performance gave Tristan Brink ‘a better understanding of Shakespeare’s writing’. ⬤
Matters Mathematical
PBR
The Michaelmas Term saw our Sixth Form mathematicians showcasing their talents in national Maths competitions.
Front Row: Mia Wilkinson, Grace Robson, Isabel Adcock, Beni Asprella, Leila Giaziri
Back Row: Carrie Goddard, Shayna Saran, Sophie Britz, Han Tran
The United Kingdom Mathematics Trust (UKMT) works with hundreds of volunteers across the UK to promote a love of problem solving, teamwork and various mathematical enrichment activities. The Senior Maths Challenge is an exam paper lasting 90 minutes, sat by Sixth Form students nationwide. Students are not expected to complete the whole paper in that time as the questions purposefully challenging. All participants start on a score of 25; the paper consists of 25 multiple choice questions where a correct answer carries four marks and an incorrect answer deducts one mark. Students can score a maximum of 125. Those with a score of 85 or more achieve a Gold Award, while a score of 108 or will grant qualification for the British Mathematical Olympiad.
October saw our female mathematicians compete in the Mathematical Olympiad for Girls, aimed at encouraging young women to tackle advanced mathematical problems. They achieved six merit awards in total and acted as exceptional role models for our younger female students. Grace Robson said the competition was ‘challenging and showed me that however good one is at Maths, there will always be questions one cannot answer’.
November was a bumper month for Sixth Form Maths competition entries as all pupils in the Lower and Upper Sixth were entered for the Senior Maths Challenge. The challenge encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought, and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve complex problems, designed to make students think. Our students performed exceptionally well, achieving 48 bronze, 44 silver and 12 gold awards. Benjamin Austin, Hashir Majeed, Ximan Mao, Benjamin Chamberlain, Jim Lui, Ketan McMillan, Daniel Kortuem and Vanya Artiukhov qualified for the Andrew Jobbings Senior Kangaroo in December, while Benjamin Robinson in the Lower Sixth qualified for the first round of the British Mathematical Olympiad after achieving a merit. These are phenomenal achievements, demonstrating the dedication and drive of the mathematicians at Eltham College.
The next phase of Maths Challenges will take place in February, with the Intermediate Maths Challenge, open to pupils in Years 9, 10 and 11. The Junior Maths Challenge, open to Year 7 and 8 students, will take place in June. I hope the Sixth Form achievements encourage a love of problem solving and mathematical curiosity – and inspire greater participation from younger pupils. Mathematical enrichment clubs take place on Wednesday and Thursday lunchtimes for Junior and Intermediate mathematicians respectively. ⬤
‘The Maths Challenge tests you in a way you never get to be tested in the classroom. It feels like you are teaching yourself as you make your way through solving the intriguing puzzles. You can always tell people are fascinated by the questions, too, judging by the sheer number of ongoing discussions that occur in classrooms after the challenge, where everyone cannot wait to see if they got the answers right.’
OLIVER EGAN (UPPER VI)
Modern Languages
Modern Languages Week 2021: Senior School
In September, Languages Week made a spectacular return following the easing of Covid restrictions.
This regular feature of the start of the Michaelmas Term brings Central Hall to life with an array of flags from around the world, as part of our celebration of all living languages. The week coincides with International Languages Day on September 26. A wide variety of activities during registration and at lunchtime drew fantastic engagement from students and staff. The week marked a welcome return of co-curricular events which contribute to making languages so engaging and fulfilling.
The week began with our inaugural international bake-off, which filled Central Hall with incredible culinary creations representing key landmarks around the world, from the Great Wall of China to the Pyramids of Egypt. It was fantastic to see such enthusiasm and creativity from so many pupils. Huge congratulations to Hesper Holden and Natasha Macdonald in Year 7 for their extraordinary chocolate cake reconstruction of Tower Bridge. Congratulations also to our star bakers: Seth Jayawardhena for his creation of the Temple of Heaven; Amy Cheng for her Great Wall of China; Huxley McEntire for bringing St Paul’s Cathedral to Mottingham and Shyla Kamat for her version of the O2 Arena.
Quizzes and prizes were the mainstay of Central Hall throughout the week, while the ever-popular international karaoke brought the ABT to life, featuring songs in a variety of languages. Congratulations to Haoran Zhao in Year 9 for winning the student category and to Ms Su for winning the staff category once again. Those who like to draw parallels between Mathematics and Languages found an interesting case in the linguistics talk by Alex Bellos, a mathematician, linguist and Guardian columnist. His talk challenged students from Year 10 to the Upper Sixth to spot patterns and apply logic to decipher Japanese and hieroglyphics. Students were also introduced to the fascinating word order of Navajo, a language spoken in southwest America, on which code used during the Second World War by the American government, was based.
The week concluded with a flamenco workshop, held entirely in Spanish, that drew many students from Year 7 through to the Upper Sixth, producing fantastic performances. We hope everyone enjoyed the week. ⬤
LUS
Junior School
Languages Week is designed to raise awareness of the benefits of language learning, highlight the linguistic diversity in our community and celebrate the work of our students and teachers in primary and secondary schools. Beth Martin, Junior School Head of Languages, shared the number of languages spoken by the students and staff. Pupils played games such as boules in the target language and quizzes were conducted in lessons. In addition, the pupils used puppets to animate their conversations and spoke in French to order food at a sumptuous French breakfast. ⬤
SHM
Spanish
In the absence of trips abroad, the Spanish Department has been working on ways to bring the Hispanic world to our students.
This year, our Hispanists have enjoyed a variety of different activities, enabling them to engage with foreign cultures and improve their language skills.
As part of Languages Week, pupils in the Lower School and Sixth Form had a chance to take part in a flamenco workshop. They learnt some of the basic steps to this iconic dance in a class taught primarily in Spanish. We also took advantage of the annual Hispanic Film festival held at the Cine Lumière in Kensington to enjoy a Basque film, exploring concepts of different regional identities within Spain, a core component of their A level course.
We finished the term with a fantastic trip to the British Museum to explore Peru’s ancient civilisations with Year 11 and the Sixth Form. This exhibition was an incredible opportunity to see artefacts that have helped reveal many hidden truths about these fascinating cultures. ⬤
EMP
Modern and Classical Languages Society
It has been a pleasure to see the return of the Modern and Classical Languages Society (MCLS) this academic year, and to be able to invite students from across the school. The MCLS aims to enrich the learning experience of all of our student linguists and Classicists, with a particular emphasis on our Sixth Form cohorts. It provides an opportunity for students to research an area of interest beyond the curriculum and to present a talk to their peers and staff, as well as the chance to hear external speakers talk on a range of fascinating topics.
Last term, it was great to hear Matthew Massey (Lower Sixth), give a talk on Henry VIII and his rivalry with Charles V and Francis I. Arthur Gauthier, also in the Lower Sixth, offered insights into Existentialism and the Absurd through his presentation on two great French thinkers: Camus and Sartre. His talk inspired some excellent discussion on further reading with his audience. We look forward to further student talks as the academic year progresses. ⬤
LUS
Leopoldstadt Theatre Trip
With theatres finally open again, Miss Franz and Miss Hill took a group of Year 11 and Sixth Form German students to see Tom Stoppard’s critically acclaimed Leopoldstadt in the Michaelmas Term. For some of our students, this was their first opportunity to go to the theatre since 2019. Set in Leopoldstadt, traditionally a Jewish neighbourhood in Vienna, the story follows a Jewish family in the first half of the 20th century from a Christmas celebration in 1899 to the horrors of the Holocaust and its inherited trauma. It was a poignant telling of a family’s history and left us with much to think about. ⬤
Academic Scholarship
Last term, Scholars in each year group looked at elements of philosophy, critical thinking, structuralism in literary theory and the overthrow of dominant thinking in geology, art and physics.
As this list of topics implies, a key focus of these sessions is sharpening pupils’ critical faculties as well as encouraging them to identify links between different disciplines. The Sixth Form Symposium has embraced and interrogated a broad range of perspectives on the issue of ‘truth’.
The expertise and enthusiasm of the teaching staff who contribute is one of the most valuable aspects of the programme. Mr Beattie, School Archivist and Geography teacher, delivered a talk comparing the Black Death with the Covid-19 pandemic, exploring the science, history and geography. There have been practical programming exercises with microbits in Year 8 and investigations into cryptocurrency and the mysteries of blockchains for the Year 11 Colloquium led by the Computing Department.
Year 9 looked at religious motifs in cinema with Mr Skipworth while the Year 10 Athenaeum examined theories about leadership and the nature and challenges of smart cities, courtesy of input from the History and Politics departments. Year 9 also grappled with cyclical patterns in recurring decimals. Plans for a residential visit to Yorkshire are currently being finalised. In the Lower School, Year 7 made their own Buckyball molecules and were posed some questions about geological time by Mr Angel, while Year 8 were introduced to Wordsworth and some fairytales by Mr Cook. ⬤
Junior School Workshops
SHM
The Junior School is generally awash with many different types of workshops, but the pandemic has curtailed many of them over the last two years. It was therefore a delight that the Junior School began opening its doors to visitors old and new in the Michaelmas Term once again.
Pupils immersed themselves in Egyptian life and culture focused on the time of King Tut. Pupils were taught to write with a stylus on papyrus, kings and queens were crowned and amulets and scarabs were crafted from clay. The workshop was organised by Neil Dale, Junior School Head of History. He praised the children’s contribution and their ability to absorb and retain information in a ‘live’ context.
Birds of prey flew in for the day, attacking any fluffy misconceptions the pupils may have harboured about Hedwig. Hawker Harriers are instinctive killers, and the pupils were left in no doubt as to the talented talons of a wonderful selection of these not-sofriendly feathered friends! The approach of Christmas heralded the arrival of a real Rudolph with the only disappointment being his black and shiny nose!
If regulations permit, the Junior School will continue to see a return to normal with the re-introduction of workshops that follow the curriculum and enhance the pupils’ experience by creating lifelong memories. ⬤
Rudolph took some time out to visit the Junior School much to the delight of our amazed pupils. Santa’s Little Helpers also endeavoured to teach them Science!
An expert on birds of prey gave a talk to pupils as part of their Science curriculum
ESU Schools’ Mace
ZAK LEEK (LOWER VI)
On November 9, a team of five debating students – David Colwell, Pelin Kural, Zak Leek, Matthew Massey and Zach Sholapurkar – took part in the EnglishSpeaking Union’s Schools’ Mace, the oldest and largest debating competition in England.
This was the regional heat, in which six schools from southeast London took part in three different debates across the course of the evening. Like the Oxford and Cambridge Schools’ competitions held earlier this year, this event was hosted online. However, as it started just after school finished, all of the team, save Pelin, were able to be in the same room for the debate, and were all broadcasted from one device supporting Zoom.
Our motion, which we opposed, was: ‘This House believes that artists have a moral duty to be political in their work’. We had benefitted from three weeks of preparation for this, during which time we built an extensive bank of points to argue our side of the motion; pre-empted counter arguments and sourced appropriate rebuttals for these; and researched case studies and example scenarios for our ideas.
We debated extremely well, using a variety of well-chosen points and case studies. It was clear from the start that we had the upper hand, because the motion inherently seemed to favour the opposition. It must have been very hard for the proposing team, Farringtons School, to argue when they were required to impose a moral duty on all artists’ work. When judging these sorts of competitions, however, the judges do their best to make decisions based on the teams’ debating practices and skills, instead of the ideas they are most convinced by.
We have since progressed to the East London Final with Bromley High School, where we will debate the motion: ‘This House would nationalise the energy supply system’. The beginning of 2022 will also bring with it the first rounds of both the Cambridge and Oxford Schools’ competitions, and the Durham Schools event, all of which Eltham are hoping to enter teams for. ⬤
New Student Congress Elected
The newly-elected Members of Congress
Last term saw the formation of a new School Congress, following elections conducted in each tutor group in the Senior School. Its inaugural meeting was held in mid-November.
The Congress has been set up to achieve better representation of students’ ideas and views on different aspects of the College. It will make decisions for – and strengthen existing links between – members of our school community. The newly elected members were welcomed to Congress by the Headmaster and Deputy Head and briefed on how it (and the new four sub-committees) will run.
There are sub-committees for equalities, food and facilities, charities and the environment. Elected members have joined one of these committees and has since met as a group. They are developing ideas and initiatives and will present their recommendations to the main plenary sessions of Congress, due to take place in the Lent and Summer terms. ⬤ The Congress and committees meet several times every term. The dates for the Lent Term are shown below.
CONGRESS MEETINGS: LENT TERM
Environment Committee Friday 21 January 1.00pm Friday 4 February 1.00pm
Equalities Committee Friday 21 January 1.00pm Friday 11 February 1.00pm
Food and Facilities Committee Tuesday 18 January 1.00pm Tuesday 1 March 1.00pm
Charities Committee Tuesday 18 January 1.00pm Tuesday 8 February 1.00pm Members of Congress, colloquially known as ‘MCs’, met on Thursday 3 February to approve a new School Constitution.
This will be communicated to parents, pupils, staff and OEs in due course. We are watching future developments and deliberations with interest.
ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES LOWER SCHOOL
FORM REPRESENTATIVE REPRESENTATIVE 7ADM Roxani Delaney Calvin Agyeman-Botchley 7EMP Tanvi Garg Zac Raja 7HOB Chimonye George-Amadi Alexandre Bosviel 7KMD Serena McMillan Jayden Madawho 7MKC Karomen Izekor Arthur Girardot 7PJW Jake Austin Arabella Langman-Heath 8ALT Tim Brink
Isobel Gjytetza (co-opted) 8ATH Juliette Williams Darcey Hiller
Micah Martin-Ibekwem
8BJK Emilia Loertscher Zach Szollosi
8JYM Emily Cadman 8LVC Michelle Teibo
8NJC Mira Karthikeyan Dev Agarwal George Reeves Aryian Saran
MIDDLE SCHOOL
FORM REPRESENTATIVE REPRESENTATIVE 9EJB Utkrit Dawadi Will Forsdyke 9FNA Bertie Pullen James Mark 9HGS Uzo George-Amadi Jacob Mburu 9JXC Joshi Deol Daniel Harrington-Hill 10AHH Alex Bush Charlie Shaw
10ATD Harry Clout 10CCQ Zac Devon 10JNS Ben Robertson
10GOH Ollie Murray 11JCP Alex Taylor 11MAC Ola Salotun Austin Edwards
Ben Pagliari Dylan Tootill Oliver Bowes
Charles Wawm
Max Dugard 11THB Harry Wright Ezana Betru 11VLB Tendwai Nyakambangwe Ethan Chaplin 11EXB Atharv Gupta Theo Treadwell
SIXTH FORM
FORM REPRESENTATIVE FORM REPRESENTATIVE CAF6 Ben Lewis PLA6 Harry Ridge CJC6 Ali Majeed EKM6 Alex Golshan-Ebrahimi DRG6 Akshay John JNH6 Yahia Zayed ESL6 Will Robinson MNF6 Feihong Huang KHP6 Nick Biddle SCH6 Keren Itsagwede STM6 Chris Lefebure TCM6 David Colwell STW6 Tobi O’Brien TJC6 Ximan Mao LUS6 Liam McHale YTC6 Callum Brown JLA6 Ruben Molloy
CO-OPTED REPRESENTATIVES, SIXTH FORM
Lucy Baker Charlotte Watts Jessica Bilsby Gugu Matonsi Emily McLennan
Eltham College Parents’ Association
There is a long history of parental involvement at Eltham College: the first meeting of a Parent Teacher Association was in 1927. The school has continued to hold great store in its relationship with parents in this way.
The Parents’ Association is a small group who meet, on average, four times each year. The majority of those who join the committee remain members for many years. It is an informal group where friendships have been made while essential support and advice is provided for the school when holding events.
Over the past 95 years, the Parents’ Association has supported the school by raising money for many resources that have been of huge benefit to all pupils. Some include specialist flooring and sound desks for the ABT; floodlights and other sporting equipment, including the climbing wall in the Eric Liddell Sports Centre; additional musical instruments; playground equipment and equipment for the DT and Art departments; as well as ongoing financial support with newspaper subscriptions and Christmas outings in the Junior School. We are delighted to have recently funded Drama equipment and virtual reality headsets for the Junior School as well as refurbishing the Old Library in the Senior School as a new seminar room.
We organise the Summer Fair and smaller events such as the Grow a Pound challenge and the Taskmaster challenge. Others are for the parents – e.g. the Annual Ball, the Pop Quiz and other social events with guest speakers. This is our way of saying thank you to everyone who supports us.
The committee, however, cannot function without willing members. If you are interested in joining, or coming along to a meeting to find out more, please contact: ecpa@eltham-college.org.uk for more details. ⬤
JENNY STONE
Chair of the Parents’ Association
A Word from the Chaplain
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
Psalm 90 was our theme in Chapel last term, not least because the final verse of it is engraved on the cornerstone of the Turberville Building.
It is also a poignant Psalm for the term in which the Act of Remembrance forms the centrepiece, an everpresent reminder of life’s fragility and a helpful prompt for important questions about the valuable aspects of living.
The Michaelmas Term finishes, however, not with the fragility of life but with the dignity of it: we celebrate the news of Emmanuel, the Word made flesh. Sadly, for the second year in succession, our main services (Carols by Candlelight and the Junior School Carol Service) were cancelled but we were fortunate to have three in-house carol services on Friday 10 December at which each year group sang lustily, spurred on by our wonderful choir comprised of over 75 pupils. I am grateful to Anjola Ogundeji (OE 2021) who spoke at these services on the theme of light in darkness, another poignant theme at Christmas but perhaps more so in this of all years.
Chapel is, of course, only the tip of the Chaplaincy iceberg. There has, to extent the metaphor, been much going on beneath the surface so far this year. 17 Sixth Form pupils have been leading small groups each week, comprised of pupils from Year 3 to the Upper Sixth. I am indebted to them and immensely grateful for their support and service. My thanks as well to colleagues, parents and governors for supporting the Christian work of the school. It is a privilege to serve in a community in which we can look back and echo the Psalmist: ‘Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.’ ⬤
Rolling clouds of thick green plumes of smoke “Every man for himself!” they shout, lost to the stinking fumes Men choking and falling to the ground Everyone fumbling to grab their gasmasks in a tangle of hands and bodies Moaning low from beneath us, soldiers trampled Bombs far off in the distance sound like explosions next to your ear Early birds silenced into deathly quiet Really thought we could win this? CHARLOTTE MCGINN (Year 8) Red poppies help us remember Every day that was experienced in the war Men and women helping and being injured Everyone living in a time of misery Many people died But the poppies will help us remember Every person that died Remembering everything that happened LILY FERREDAY (Year 7)
Red poured all over Even my own guilty hands My friends lying on the cold floor Engraved on white stones their names will be More of them pass helpless Bodies moving up and down in wagons Everyone is gone all my friends all my foes Remember, remember the 11th of November KATHERINE ADCOCK (Year 8) Rows upon rows of white crosses Each one engraved with a name. So Many gave their lives, Every one with a family. Millions of lives lost, Billions of lives destroyed. Everlasting mourning, Remember remember, for lest we+ forget TILLY STAFFORD (Year 8)
Poems to Mark Remembrance Day
Red poppies on the battlefield, Even the destroyed ground is hidden, Many people will forget, but we never will, Everyone is in mourning for many that have been lost, Must we forever thank them our debts will forever remain unpaid, But we must continue our day-to-day lives, for their sakes, Every one has lost someone, so everyone understands each other’s pain, Remember, we all must remember those who died valiantly for us all.
CHARLOTTE FIDLER (Year 8) Remember the lives Every death looming over families Miles of bodies stretching far Extreme measures lead to disaster Meaningful fights decide history Battle festered Eerie feeling dooms life Remember soldiers who gave their life TOMMY HORN (Year 7)
READ THE LETTERS EVERYONE IS DEAD MEDICAL HELP IS NEEDED EXTREME MEASURES MEN DIE BECAUSE OF THE LOUD TANKS EVERY PERSON THAT DIED REMEMBERED BY THE POPPIES
LARA SOUTH (Year 7) Remembering a time when life was hard, Every day another fight, Making makeshift equipment, hoping it’ll stay together, Every lasting injuries, scars that painted everyone’s skin, Moving slowly, tanks take up the view Bam! Another explosion hit, smoking feeling up the trenches, Retching smells, blinding our senses A never-ending embrace of smoke, No one seeing the end of the war Can we survive this? Everyone better remember this. JULIETTE WILLIAMS (Year 8)
New Astro
AstroTurf provision doubled
In mid-November, we were delighted to open our new floodlit hockey AstroTurf pitch. This brilliant new asset, shared with Blackheath and Elthamians Hockey Club, means that the College now has two full-size AstroTurf pitches which will significantly enhance the provision of hockey for girls and boys at Eltham College.
The new pitch was opened by Guy Sanderson, Headmaster, and Vikki Meier, Head of the Junior School. A short opening ceremony, joined by the school’s Head of Sport and Head of Hockey, took place after which the Headmaster, Head of Junior School and the Bursar engaged in some informal goal-scoring practice against the U12s girls hockey team goalkeeper. Then followed the very first competitive fixtures on the new pitch in great matches played by our four U12 girls’ teams against teams from Colfe’s School.
Mr Sanderson said: ‘At a stroke, this new facility doubles our AstroTurf provision and will enable girls’ and boys’ hockey to run alongside each other, and for students at both the Junior and Senior Schools to play hockey to a high level.’ ⬤
ECF
Olympian Visits Eltham College
In late November, on a rather cold, wet and windy afternoon, the school welcomed England and Team GB Olympic hockey player, Hannah Martin. Hannah made her international debut in 2017, and has since become a crucial player for both the England and GB teams.
Hannah started playing hockey while in Year 4 at Ipswich School and has never looked back. Her older brother Harry, also an England and GB International, was, in her words, the ‘perfect role model to look up to and emulate.’
During the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Hannah scored four goals on the way to helping Great Britain win a bronze medal, adding to her medals of the same colour she has won with England at European and Commonwealth events. Her Olympic medal was even more special as it came just four months after she sustained a broken leg and ankle ligament damage.
During the afternoon Hannah demonstrated stick skills to our students and showcased her dazzling method of ‘chipping in’. The Year 7 and 8 girls played small-sided hockey games with Hannah coaching. A hockey masterclass was held followed by a live Q&A session during which Hannah shared her sporting journey with the students, allowing them to better understand the hard work and dedication needed in order to achieve their goals, including the achievement of her Olympic bronze medal which she brought along to show the pupils.
In a captivating session, Hannah explained how her journey to the top had not always been easy and reiterated the powerful message that having a positive mindset can make a real difference to anyone’s success in life. Hard work, discipline and resilience are key, she said, as well as having the determination to overcome any obstacles along the way. ⬤
New Junior Science Lab
SHM
Over half-term the Science lab underwent a total refurbishment under the direction of the Head of Junior School Science, Edith Goakes.
Living walls, interactive screens and sliding white boards now surround a set of colourful glass-topped tables. It is a joy to work in for pupils and teachers, inspired and motivated by a laboratory that encourages enthusiasm. The project was bought together by Mrs Goakes, Breda Kelly and the Deputy Head (Pastoral) of the Junior School, Andrew Taylor. ⬤
Super Science as the whole Junior School studies scientific methods at the start of the Michaelmas Term
180th Anniversary
2022 marks the 180th anniversary of the foundation of Eltham College.
It opened as the Boys’ Mission School in a townhouse in Walthamstow in 1842. During its first 15 years it moved a number of times until purpose-built accommodation was found in Blackheath in 1857. The school then became known as the School for the Sons of Missionaries. Over the decades, our school grew and prospered before moving to its present site in 1912, precisely 110 years ago.
While the school’s Christian foundation endures, it has evolved, akin to the school which has grown much larger and is now well on its way to full co-education. As a school, we have plans to mark this anniversary throughout the course of this year to celebrate Eltham’s heritage, success and role in educating generations of families, but also to look forward to its exciting and ambitious future. We will keep you updated about these in the weeks and months ahead. ⬤
Carla Morin and Lucy Gardiner
FemSoc Launch
We decided to launch FemSoc at Eltham College following the publication of numerous accounts of sexual assault that occurred in many secondary schools across Britain on Everyone’s Invited, a website set up to expose rape culture through ‘conversation, education and support’, which gained prominence in the aftermath of Sarah Everard’s tragic murder.
Hearing the bravery of girls talking about their personal, and invariably traumatic, experiences inspired us to raise awareness of violence against women and educate on matters of gender equality at a school which, although will be fully co-educational in 2024, still has a predominantly male student-body. FemSoc’s launch was timely, given the arrival of girls into Year 7 in 2020.
Our aim was to challenge the incorrect view that a ‘feminist’ is a woman who solely supports the success of females and perceives men to be the cause of many problems in our society. On the contrary, FemSoc aims to start discussions between male and female students and unite everyone against all incidents of gender inequality.
Increasing the numbers of those attending the society has been easier this year, due to the removal of year group ‘bubbles’. The society has flourished since September, with our audience comprised largely of boys from Year 7 to the Upper Sixth. All have demonstrated a keen interest in the topics we have explored each week. The enthusiasm from younger pupils in particular has been valuable this year.
Our discussions of issues we face as a society led male pupils to become more aware of the inequality that surrounded them. Two boys in the Upper Sixth, Jack Flood and Oliver Ennis, led a thought-provoking talk last summer on the ‘catcalling’ and harassment women face regularly. This certainly reflected a change in attitude among boys: the issue of ‘catcalling’ has always been present, but I think their talking about it with their female peers enabled them to identify it more easily.
Hosting talks every week has opened our eyes to the sheer extent of inequity between how different genders are treated and perceived. It has, however, been great to see so many regular attendees ask vital questions and develop their own tolerant viewpoints since FemSoc’s launch.
We have led FemSoc since we joined Eltham in the Lower Sixth and soon hope to find some dedicated feminists to take over next year. Although we certainly have a long way to go until equality is achieved, educating and shaping the attitudes of young students will go a long way to solving the problem in the future. ⬤
CARLA MORIN AND LUCY GARDINER (UPPER VI)
FemSoc continues on Thursday lunchtimes this term, where discussions will take place after a speaker has attempted to answer a question on an area of gender inequality.
Drama
Curtains
Preparation for the Senior School musical began when pupils returned to school after the last lockdown. Our feelings were of excitement and trepidation, given the uncertainty of live performances resuming. In light of this, we chose a show where we could acquire the rights to either perform it to a live audience, or film it for viewers at home. From the small pool of choices, one show stood out because of its variety of lead roles and the fact it was a comic murder mystery, which would suit our students. I had been lucky enough to see Curtains during its West End debut in 2019. The score was glorious, as you would expect from John Kander and Fred Ebb, who wrote Chicago and Cabaret. →
Curtains is a send-up of backstage murder mystery plots, set in 1959 Boston, Massachusetts.
It follows the fallout after Jessica Cranshaw, the supremely untalented star of Robbin’ Hood of the Old West, is murdered during her opening night curtain call. It is up to Lieutenant Frank Cioffi, a police detective who moonlights as a musical theatre fan, to save the show, solve the case, and maybe even find love before the show reopens – without getting killed himself. The show was described by Kander as ‘a kind of love letter to musical theatre’. I hope everyone involved with the show agreed with Cioffi when he said: ‘Putting on a musical has got to be the most fulfilling thing a person could ever hope to do.’
Lauren Chaplin as Niki Harris
Jess Bilsby as Georgia Hendriks
On playing Niki, one of the lead females…
This year’s musical was extra special for many of us in the Upper Sixth. Last year we were not allowed to have a musical due to Covid, so for some of us this was our first and last chance to perform in a musical while at Eltham College. The months leading up to the musical consisted of lots of line learning and late-night rehearsals, all worth it in the end. Juggling all our commitments was a struggle but we managed to deliver an amazing performance.
All our preparation led to a smooth tech and dress rehearsal, which prepared us for our four shows running from Wednesday 1 December to Saturday 4 December. Being part of an Eltham College musical is so different to shows in other schools: they are more polished and the enthusiasm from the cast and all members of staff is incredible. Many teachers from outside the Music and Drama departments support us and the 240-seater ABT gives us the opportunity to feel like professional performers.
The musical is a valuable experience for everyone involved. We got to know pupils in other year groups, making friendships that would not exist without the musical. The cast had the opportunity to work with an amazing external choreographer, Shermaine Slocombe. Mrs Robinson held us to the highest standards throughout, resulting in our final show being the best and most professional it could possibly be. Mr Showell and the Music Department are, likewise, essential to the success of the performances. I am also grateful to the Eltham Wardrobe, who ensured each performer looked their best. The performance would not have been complete without them.
LAUREN CHAPLIN (UPPER VI)
On playing the lead detective…
This year’s school production of Curtains was my fifth and final musical at Eltham College. My journey began in Year 8 as a member of Fagin’s gang in Oliver!, looking up to and imagining being one of the Sixth Formers performing as a lead. This year I got to do just that.
I had never heard of Curtains until it was announced as our school musical. A murder-mystery comedy was distinct from anything I had done before. I played Lieutenant Frank Cioffi, a detective and musical theatre fanatic. Being the lead in an Eltham College musical was everything I had hoped it be and more.
After spending a considerable amount of time learning my lines and attending all of the dance rehearsals that often went on past 9.00pm with our brilliant choreographer Shermaine, the cast was ready and excited for our four-night run of the show which got better and better each night.
Curtains was an incredible high to end my time at Eltham College on, and I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did. I am grateful to Mrs Robinson and Mr Showell for giving me the opportunity. My thanks also to Shermaine, helping with her 13th Eltham College show this year, for her guidance.
CHARLIE SMITH (UPPER VI)
On leading the technical team…
This light-hearted musical which lifted everyone’s spirits was appropriate given our disappointment at having last year’s musical cancelled. Despite none of the cast having prior knowledge of Curtains, the cast, crew and band quickly fell in love with both the storyline and music score.
Putting on this production was emotional: this was the final musical for many involved, including key members of staff, such as Mr Showell, and the Eltham Wardrobe. I have been involved in over 25 plays, musicals and concerts during my time here, working behind the scenes as part of the technical department.
I was tasked with running the tech crew and also programming and designing the lights for this show, becoming the first ever pupil to do so. This was simultaneously thriling and stressful as it involved leading the technical department of 15 students and staff, while also liaising with both Mrs Robinson, the director, and Ms Swadkin, the conductor. Despite these challenges I feel as though we managed to put on a wonderful musical and I’m glad my final show at Eltham was such a success.
BEN EDWARDS (UPPER VI)
Ellie Stocks and Charlie Smith
The tech crew
Ben Lewis as Christopher Belling
On being part of the chorus…
Curtains was my first musical at Eltham College. I am unsure why it took me five years year to take part, but it left me with a new understanding of what theatre is. The musical enabled me to get to know, and form lasting friendships with, new people in different year groups, as well as many who had recently joined the Sixth Form.
I was in the dance chorus which meant lots of long nights at school, working our socks off with our wonderful choreographer, Shermaine, to perfect the many dance numbers that we had to learn. It took a lot of hard work and effort, but the end product made it all worthwhile. Each dance meant learning different skills and moves, but the biggest skill of all was mastering the quick costume changes between numbers. The rush of relief, excitement and pride after each performance was unlike anything I have ever experienced – and even from the first rehearsal to the last night that feeling did not wane.
It was a pleasure to work with a great teacher and director in Mrs Robinson; a fantastic musician and human being, Mr Showell (someone we are sadly saying goodbye to); the unbelievably hard-working dance choreographer, Shermaine; and great costume ladies, Liz and Alexis. I would urge anyone thinking about it to get involved in future school musicals – it was an experience I most certainly will not forget.
ETHAN FIORE (LOWER VI) ⬤
Junior School pupils in The Grinch
Junior School Production of The Grinch
SHM
The Grinch and his loyal dog, Max, live a solitary existence inside a cave on Mount Crumpet. His main source of aggravation comes during Christmastime when his neighbours in Whoville celebrate the holidays with a bang.
When the Whos decide to make Christmas bigger and brighter, the disgruntled Grinch realises there is one way to gain peace and quiet. Year 4 certainly made Christmas bigger and brighter, bringing the term to an end with their brilliant performance, directed by our Head of Drama, Hugo Timbrell. ⬤
Music
St Alfege Concert
The concert at St Alfege Church, Greenwich ended the lengthy hiatus of live concerts due to the Covid-19 pandemic. There was a jubilant atmosphere as, for the first time in 18 months, Eltham College’s various ensembles were able to perform to an audience of friends and family.
ZACH SHOLAPURKAR (LOWER VI)
The prospect of performing properly again after spending such a long time rehearsing was as much a relief as it was exciting.
Eltham Brass began the proceedings with a rendition of John Williams’s 1984 Olympic Fanfare, with many of the music staff and I making our débuts on percussion, much to everyone’s amusement. The concert certainly lived up to its title, ‘A Celebration of Music’, as a wide variety of music, from genres spanning the Baroque to the 20th century, was performed.
Some particular highlights were the symphony orchestra’s rendition of William Walton’s Crown Imperial and College Choir and Sinfonia’s performance of Handel’s Messiah. A special mention should be given to Oscar Geh and Emily Barnett for their terrific solo performances. Overall, I think I, and many others, will agree that the event was a superb return to concerts and touching send-off for Mr Showell. ⬤
Music Alive in the Junior School
SHM
The Music Alive scheme provides all Year 3 and Year 4 pupils with the opportunity to try a musical instrument of their choice by offering them six weeks of free tuition.
The uptake is invariably high, and pupils perform in a concert at the end of their induction – quite a feat if one considers the age and experience of the students involved.
In addition, pupils from the Junior School combined to perform in a stunning ensembles concert at St George’s Church in Beckenham which saw the welcome return of pews packed with parents. Overall direction was provided by the Head of Music in the Junior School, Mark Alexander. ⬤
Music Alive gives every young pupil the opportunity to try a new musical instrument for an extended period of time. It is free – and evidently fun!
Art Artwork
David Colwell (Lower VI)
Benjy Davis (Upper VI)
Dev Agarwal (Year 8)
Archie Quinnen (Year 11)
Tilly Stafford (Year 8) Jonny Brayford (Year 7)
Harry Jones (Year 11)
Elliasson Lesson (Year 7)
GMG Exhibition: Tell Us a Story...
MELISSA (YEAR 7)
YANNA (YEAR 7 )
OLES (YEAR 11)
‘Dide Tengiz’s work depicts relatable stories.’
BENJAMIN (YEAR 8)
The exhibition ran from January 13 to February 19 and coincided with storytelling and illustration workshops for both students and the public.
KEH
In December 2021, the Gerald Moore Gallery began preparing for its 10-year anniversary. To celebrate we decided to create an illustration and animation exhibition entitled Tell Us a Story... It featured works from emerging and contemporary illustrators and animators.
The idea for this exhibition was inspired by the book ‘The Cuckoo Who Flew Backwards’, written and illustrated by Dr Gerald Moore. The book is about a cuckoo who heads to Heathfield Park, the previous home of the author and his family, to sing in the spring.
Recent illustration graduates from the Royal College of Art, UAL, Manchester School of Art, Cambridge School of Art, Goldsmiths, University of London, University of Brighton, Arts University Bournemouth, Plymouth College of Art, and Kingston Art School were invited to be part of the exhibition. Each sent three images of their work that responded to the title of our exhibition: Tell Us a Story…
Once all the work had been received, over 25 students from all year groups came together to select which illustrators would form part of the exhibition. They voted for their favourite artist, citing their reasons, some of which are included on this page. The artists with the most votes were selected to be part of the exhibition. ⬤
Sixth Form Art Trip to Dungeness
CHRISTY LORD (LOWER VI)
The Sixth Form Art students visited Dungeness for the first time during the October half-term break, in what proved a moving experience. The rolling expanses of England’s seemingly endless farmland quickly transform into a barren landscape of shingle and dotted vegetation, which creates a stark, isolated, yet mesmerising setting.
The small town of Dungeness sits in the shadow of a large nuclear power station that contrasts with the desert-like span that surrounds it. The area itself is known to have accommodated many renowned artists over the years, with the location being sought after for its bleak tranquillity. Such artists include the likes of Derek Jarman, an acclaimed film maker who spent his twilight years living in a small cottage similar to many of the structures in Dungeness.
We were tasked with photographing the debris-riddled shingle beaches that frame the location along the coastline. This feature provides the coachline with an antique, yet desolate, charm. After stopping at a small café near one of Dungeness’s lighthouses, we began the walk to the stretching shoreline, strolling among many of the town’s quaint and varied wooden cottages that accommodate a large number of local residents.
Upon arriving at the beach, one’s eyes are met with a vivid scene: shipping containers scattered along the seafront, spewing various miscellaneous items onto the shingle, and abandoned Caterpillar bulldozers nestled among derelict sheds, their yellow paintwork contrasting with the grey landscape surrounding them. Perhaps the most prominent sight along the beach was the collection of large fishing boats. They were so big that they dwarfed all objects around them. This wide array of rusting and rotting items facilitated high quality photography, which we capitalised on. ⬤
Pictures taken by Aya Scholl (Lower VI)
House Reports
CAREY
Everyone was keen to get off to a flying start after the past two years’ disruption to school life.
The eagerly anticipated renewal of the famed House Singing event, allowing students from all years to come together and belt out a classic, was therefore more important than ever. Carey gave a rousing rendition of Spandau Ballet’s ‘Gold’, complete with some of our younger members shining brightly in an array of golden outfits.
Since then, we have witnessed a multitude of events: boys’ rugby across all year groups, boys’ football across all year groups, girls’ hockey in Years 7 and 8, photography, table tennis, chess, spelling bee and pumpkin carving. The most recent event was the House Runway – a new one in the calendar – where students were challenged to design and make an outfit from recycled materials, which were modelled at lunchtime in King George’s Hall in a kind of ‘flash mob’, much to the delight of all who witnessed it.
Carey has been wonderfully represented by a vast range of students in all these events. There have been some great victories, but even in events where students have struggled the effort has remained exceptionally high this academic year. I am immensely proud of the spirit and determination that all participants have shown.
In no small part due to the efforts of our wonderful ‘Blue Wave’, we went into the Christmas break in second place in the House Championship. It is all to play for as we look forward to events this term, including the much-anticipated House Drama competition. ⬤
ADM
CHALMERS
After an incredibly turbulent 18 months, the House system began to feel normal again this term with a full programme of events and vertical integration made possible with all year groups attending House assemblies. It has been truly brilliant to see the Red Army competing in a range of events this year.
The highlight of the House calendar is House Singing, which typically takes place in the first few weeks of the Michaelmas Term, involving students from all ages in the Senior School. This year’s event did not disappoint: Chalmers finished in second place after a breath-taking rendition of ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ by American rock group, Journey. Our House Captains, Oliver Ennis and Thea Whatling, deserve a special mention for organising and leading our rendition.
There has been ubiquitous representation from Chalmers in all the events throughout the Michaelmas Term, particularly in those events that were able to take place this year after what felt like a long time. We have fiercely contested competitions such as House rugby, football, water polo, debating, chess, photography, pumpkin growing, singing, hockey and badminton across all year groups in the Senior School.
My thanks to everyone who has contributed to Chalmers House so far this year. I am excited to see what success lies ahead for the Red Army in 2022 and cannot wait to see as many Reds as possible take part. ⬤
BJK
LIVINGSTONE
The Michaelmas Term was packed full with a variety of House events and Livingstone has risen to the occasion, participating with vigour and passion.
We began our defence of the House Championship in great style with an outstanding performance in House Singing. The House’s competitive spirit was on full display: we had members of all year groups contributing to our performance of ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’. A huge amount of credit must go to Lauren Chaplin and Ojorumi Edozie for their expert musical knowledge and of course to Santi Esquivel Martinez for his unwavering enthusiasm (and questionable dance moves!), which resulted in our maiden victory.
We followed this up with a strong second place finish in the pumpkin growing and carving competition. Despite our pumpkin being comparatively diminutive, a great design was created by Tobi Clement and Prosper Omopariola. The final open event of 2021 was House Runway. This saw a fantastic design by Chloe Nguyen who combined with Santi for our song ‘Single Ladies’. I think it is fair to say this was a sight to behold for all, but nonetheless another great display of teamwork to end the calendar year.
Other notable events were House chess, football, rugby, hockey, badminton, table tennis, as well as photography, spelling bee and coding. We performed valiantly in all events, especially House chess. A special mention should go to our Year 9, 10 and 11 team who were unbeaten across all games, as well as our Year 8 table tennis and girls’ hockey teams, and the Year 7 spelling bee participants.
I have been blown away by the Livingstone House spirit so far this year and know that this is just the start of the Green comeback! A huge thank you to our excellent House Captains who have led from the front, as well as to Mr Crowley for his unwavering support. Go Greens! ⬤
LVC
MOFFAT
Moffateers have united and thrown themselves into every competition and challenge that has come their way this year. The teamwork and energy demonstrated throughout the Michaelmas Term has been second to none from all students, whether that be volunteering for events or stepping in to replace peers at short notice.
Our standings at the end of 2021 are impressive: we are currently occupying first place across all year groups – Junior School, Lower School, Middle School, Seniors – and in the overall. We started the academic year with our Seniors displaying their badminton prowess (Charlotte Watts, Hashir Majeed, Maddie Tynan and Oli Gower), followed by an almost clean sweep in House photography (Imogen Naish, Max Ginn, Orin Vitalis, Jack Lockett, Henry Lines, Tommy Harrison and Jake Austin). Our table tennis teams shone this term with guidance from Mr Watts. A special mention to Zenan He, Matthew Chick, Xintian Li, Carina Nechyporuk, Jamie Hine, Boden Kelly, Rohan Kohli and Luke Perrett for their performances. House pumpkin carving featured our school-grown pumpkin, planted by our Year 7s last year, weighing in heavily, then being transformed into a beautiful duck delight by Orin Vitalis and Louis Lardner. Our football teams, likewise, represented Moffat brilliantly, finishing in either first or second place across all year group competitions.
As is invariably the case in the Michaelmas Term, the biggest event was undoubtedly House Singing. In my opinion, our performance contained flair, sass and a little bit of talent that captured our audience’s hearts. The Michaelmas Term concluded with another fabulous singing competition, where our Seniors performed ‘We Three Kings’, an epic football performance from our Seniors, and Louis Lardner strutting his stuff through the KGH for House Runway.
My thanks to our superb House Captains, Ben Lewis and Charlotte Watts, for everything they have done this year. A shout out also to Mr Dale, Head of Moffat in the Junior School, who is paving the way for our mini Moffateers.
We still have a long way to go, and many competitions to compete in with the same ferocity as last term, but I am confident we can continue with the same momentum to win the House Championship. ⬤ #TeamMoffat
