Rishworth School Newspaper
Issue No. 2 | February 22
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A YEAR 7 Cover art by: Drew Cyprus
Issue No. 2 |February 22
INTERVIEW WITH MR WILKINS
A note from the Editors Welcome to the second issue of the Rishworth Reporter. We would like to thank our hard-working team for their efforts on this issue and to everyone who read the first issue and provided some great feedback. In our EE sessions where we put together the Rishworth Reporter, the atmosphere is buzzing and everyone involved with the newspaper is really excited about putting together great content which our readers will enjoy. To help us grow and continue improving through every issue, we rely on your feedback and comments. We value the opinion of our readers, so we would like to hear your thoughts on the articles you’ve read, and articles or topics you would like to see by our writers. If you have any ideas or feedback, please contact us on our email address rishworthreporter@rishworthschool.co.uk Enjoy this issue! Lily-Mae Cooney Y10 Emily Heacock Y10
Take time for yourself We all get anxiety from time to time, it may be to do with the occasional test, or falling out between friends or perhaps something is coming up that you’re worried about. Don’t worry, it is inevitable. It is just a part of life. But sometimes these feelings of anxiety can escalate to stress or even fear, you may find yourself spending more time worrying than anything else. If you are feeling extremely overwhelmed, or if this anxiety has been consuming your life, then it may be a good idea to take things a little easy. It is really important to not bottle up these thoughts and keep them to yourself, your friends and family are all here to help. Running away and trying to avoid your problems will never come to any good, you have to confront them face on, and you will find that everything will pan out. Take some time for yourself, and remember, there is always sun after a storm. If you are struggling, talk to your tutor or Matron.
Rishworth Reporter Team Co-Editors: Lily Mae-Cooney & Emily Heacock Contributors & Reporters: Eden Bhogal-Wood, Charlotte Cahill, Ananyaa Gupta, Anya Jenkins, Olive Le Fevre, Amelie Lord, Ethan Nash, Vincent Pilcher & Hannah Smeeton.
Featured articles Getting to know... Mr Wilkins Following on from the success of our first interview with Mr Algar, we're thrilled to be joined by Headmaster Mr Wilkins in this issue of the Rishworth Reporter. We're pretty sure you'll find out more about him throughout this interview!
What first interested you in teaching? When I was at school myself I wasn’t interested in being a teacher, I actually went and worked for a financial firm, although I didn’t enjoy it so thought about moving into teaching. I always imagined it would be something enjoyable and certainly has been and still is. I just love being in an environment where everybody is having fun and learning together. What was the first school you ever taught at? The first school I taught in was St. Dunstan's College in London. It is similar to Rishworth in terms of its size and traditions, but so different in its location, with it right in the heart of the hustle and bustle of London. I must say I do prefer our beautiful surroundings here, it’s truly stunning.
Do you have any pets? What is your favourite thing to do as a headmaster? My favourite thing is talking to the students, as well as walking round at break and lunchtime and joining in with EE clubs. What is your least favourite thing to do as a Head? The worst thing about being Head is going to lots of meetings! How long have you been the Head of Heathfield and Rishworth? I came to Heathfield in 2009 and became Head of Rishworth in 2021. What is your opinion on Rishworth and its values? The people are brilliant and I honestly love being at the school. At Rishworth we want to look after each other and play our part in making school life a friendly, productive place where students and staff can excel in everything they set out to achieve. Do you play any musical instruments? I play the clarinet and the piano, grade 1 clarinet and grade 2 on piano.
Yes, I have a cat called Corky. She one day broke into the music garden at Heathfield where I rescued her, unfortunately most of her family has died but she survived. After a visit to the vets, she was cleared to come home with us and she’s been with us ever since.
What are your hobbies and outside activities? I like to carry on learning things in and outside of school as well as writing stories. What is your favourite thing to watch on TV? I like to watch a variety of different things. Anything about art and crafts, especially The Repair Shop on BBC, Portrait Artist of the Year, the Politics Channel. In terms of films, I like horror, science fiction and supernatural films. Thank you to Mr Wilkins for his time in speaking to the Rishworth Reporter. Do you have a member of staff or teacher that you'd like us to interview? Send an email to: rishworthreporter@rishworthschool.co.uk and we'll do our best to track them down and speak to them!
Featured articles Cooking Corner - Breakfast Smoothie Bowl
Cooking Corner - Vegan Brownies
Serves: 12 Ingredients Prep time: 5 minutes Serves: 1 Ingredients 2tsp acaí powder Handful of frozen berries ½ a ripe banana, chopped Handful of ice cubes 1tsp coconut flakes, 5 pineapple chunks, ½ passionfruit, 1tbsp toasted oats to top the acaí bowl (optional) Method Put the açaí powder, frozen berries, banana, and ice cubes into a powerful blender with 100ml water. Blitz until smooth, then pour into a bowl and add your choice of toppings. Try this fruity breakfast smoothie bowl for a quick, easy start to your day. Vary toppings according to season- fresh berries or peaches work well in summer.
2 tbsp ground flaxseed 200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped ½ tsp coffee granules 80g vegan margarine, plus extra for greasing 125g self-raising flour 70g ground almonds 50g cocoa powder ¼ tsp baking powder 250g golden caster sugar 1½ tsp vanilla extract Method Preheat your oven to 170C. Grease and line a 20cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper. Combine the flaxseed with 6 tbsp water and set aside for at least 5 mins. Put the flour, almonds, cocoa, baking powder and ¼ tsp salt in a separate bowl and stir to remove any lumps. In a saucepan, melt 120g of the chocolate, the coffee, and the margarine with 60ml water on a low heat. Remove from the heat, and using a hand whisk, mix the sugar into the melted chocolate mixture, and beat well until smooth and glossy, ensuring all the sugar is well dissolved. Add the flaxseed mixture from step two, vanilla extract and remaining 80g of chocolate, then mix everything together thoroughly. Fold in the flour mixture and spoon into the prepared tin. Bake for 35-45 mins until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs, but mostly clean. Leave your brownies to cool in the tin completely, then remove from the tin and cut into squares. Store in an airtight container and eat within three days.
Featured articles Science Club Round-Up
A day in the life of a Year 7
Science Club has been shocking… literally! Since the last issue of the Rishworth Reporter, we have been experimenting with a power box to conduct electricity, as well as creating electricity so that we could detect it by using a red metal dot. The more volts we apply to the dot, the brighter it becomes.
It’s 8:30am on Wednesday and another day of Year 7 school life awaits. The first lesson of the day: Drama. At the moment, we’re studying Macbeth - the blood, the killings, the drama, “out damned spot”.
If we were to use a low amount of electricity, the light emitted from the dot would be very little. However, if we were to apply a high amount of electricity, the light that was to be emitted would be brighter. Please note that we were not able to use real high amounts of electricity for this experiment as it would be dangerous, stupid, and could very well kill people. Did you know that the human body is able to sustain from 20,000 volts - 50,000 volts without dying!
After what feels like half a century, it's break time! A precious half hour of sport, gossip and time to simply relax before another two hours of class resumes. Lesson three brings Maths. Widely regarded as one of the most loathed subjects, but I love it. Mrs Edmunds has a way of turning even the most difficult topics into something enjoyable (I’ve consulted with members of her Year 11 class and they agree too). With only one hour left before lunch, we have French, but it’s hard to focus when food is so close. Oh delicious food. Bonjour? Je m'appelle? What is that? I will have to consult google translate because all I’m thinking of is le baguette. Then it’s lunch time! I'm studying the art of savouring pasta, chocolate cake, noodles…I apologise I’m drooling - but the new chef is amazing! With time left over for having fun, my year group has also perfected the skill of annoying every other year group - our collective skill is rivalled only by the Year 8’s! After lunch it’s DT - this is by far my favourite lesson. Few things are quite as rewarding as bringing a project to life in the workshop. Now that the countdown to home time has begun, the final lesson of the day is Food and Nutrition . I’m pretty good at food, cooking things and baking and the lesson flies by. End of the day and it is EE. I am loving the choices on offer this term and I'm doing Climbing at ROKT as well as newspaper club. But yeah! That’s my day, what’s yours?
Featured articles Looking after our planet It will be no surprise to you that as a species, humans have had an adverse impact on our planet and the animals that inhabit it, one example of this being sea turtles in the Mediterranean. Now, everyone loves a turtle, so surely you'll want to know what you can do to help them. The three greatest threats to these sea turtles are people, plastic, and boats. An estimated quarter of the turtles arriving at the ARCHELON Rescue Centre in Greece are suffering from plastic ingestion or the consequence of collisions with boats. Another quarter are victims of entanglement, having become caught up in fishing gear or other debris, which can cause enough damage to result in amputations. You may be thinking to yourself that we’re too far from the Mediterranean, and that there's nothing you can do to help. This simply isn't true. The vital help provided by ARCHELON rescue centre - mentioned above - is all possible because of people just like you. Have you considered how much difference a donation less than the cost of a coffee can make to an animal's life? Now you could be thinking that there's no difference we can make as individuals, however, when we work together we become part of something much bigger. Every day, these sea turtles are suffering, and it is our responsibility as their fellow inhabitants of this planet to do what we can to help them. Your donations can pay for the vital equipment needed, and together we can bring sea turtles back from the edge. You can donate to the ARCHELON rescue centre through the Wildlife Vets International website, and I can't wait to see the difference we can make to the world.
Crimson Frosting: Bill Lovelace Be sure to check in every edition with Crimson Frosting, a short story produced by one of our talented Rishworth Reporter writers. I had left the house around 2:30pm; just enough time to escape from my families ‘discussions’ but more of the argumentative effect that we called conversation. The afternoon was gloomy, as if the murder of The Baker had brought a negative effect on not only the townsfolk but the weather too. “Paola!” I stopped; mid step being brought to a halt. Mrs Lovelace in her winter attire of a long skirt and heavy-knitted sweater. She was a classy woman, never growing out of the 50s. “Mrs Lovelace? Can I help you?” She took a step towards me, a smile causing dimples to form on her pale skin. “Have you heard about The Baker? Awfully dreadful don’t you think?” “Very much so, who would’ve thought.” I responded, keeping that unbothered look that every British person seemed to do when feeling awkward. “Anywho, you haven't seen my darling son Bill? He was supposed to meet me today for a morning cuppa but has seemed to have vanished.” She laughed but even so, looked concerned as any mother would for their 20yr old son. “He told me he was going to pick up the pie from The Baker, but since the news of his death he’s utterly disappeared from my touch. I fear that people will speculate about my precious boy being a killer.” She had a point. Bill and Barnabus had been friends for a couple of years before going away to university, only Barnabus never did, (that's why I only know Bill). Friends. Barnabus knows something, but what? Is unsure, still. Bill missing, Barnabus squirming uncomfortably at the words of The Baker. They wouldn’t have. Dearest brother you wouldn’t dare. He never meant to hurt you those years before, but did he deserve death? “I doubt Bill would do such a thing…” I smiled. To be continued…
Featured articles Singing star Cara performs in front of assembly We are delighted to share with you a snippet of Cara from Year 10 singing Emeli Sandé's ‘The Clown’ in assembly. Cara has a beautiful voice and came first in her category at the Halifax Rotary Club Young Musician Competition in January.
Two questions to think about... Each edition we ask you, the reader some questions designed to make you think. Is there a reason for human life? What do you believe happens to a person after they die? If anyone would like to share their responses or thoughts, we would love to hear them - we might even publish them! Or maybe you have a question you would like to ask? Please send them to rishworthreporter@rishworthschool.co.uk.
Lunch Rota 2021/22 year Year 7 - Monday 12:30pm, Tuesday 12:40pm, Wednesday 1:10pm, Thursday 12:50pm, Friday 1pm Year 8 - Monday 12:40pm, Tuesday 12:30pm, Wednesday 1pm, Thursday 1pm, Friday 1:10pm Year 9 - Monday 1pm, Tuesday 1:10pm, Wednesday 12:50pm, Thursday 12:40pm, Friday 12:30pm Year 10 - Monday 1:10pm, Tuesday 1pm, Wednesday 12:40pm, Thursday 12:30pm, Friday 12:50pm Year 11 - Monday 12:50pm, Tuesday 12:50pm, Wednesday 12:30pm, Thursday 1:10pm, Friday 12:40pm Sixth Form - students free to go for early lunch between 12-12:30pm each day.
Featured articles Rishworth Reporter's Auntie Pat answers your questions Rishworth’s Auntie Pat is on hand to answer all of your questions and concerns. Get in touch now to have your questions answered by Auntie Pat and don’t worry, all your details will remain anonymous and confidential. Drop Auntie Pat an email rishworthreporter@rishworthschool.co.uk. Dear Auntie Pat, recently my friend has been ignoring me and just going off with her new friends, when I go up to her and try to ask why she is upset with me and if she wanted to talk about it she just says: “Just don’t, you wouldn’t understand ok, you just wouldn’t,” and I am worried about her and when I try to reach out to her she pushes me away, I was wondering what I should do? Concerned, 12 Hi Concerned, This is quite a horrible situation as you are worried about her, but she is not responding. Don’t worry too much, I doubt that her problem is because of you and you alone, I know she is cutting you off when you try to talk to her, so it might be an idea if you talk to her ‘new friends’. If they are really her friends then they will care about her and want to help you to help her. Since she is hanging out with them, they might have an idea of what is going on, and you guys together may be able to figure it out and help her. However, if they are being uncooperative, or they don’t want to help, the best thing to do is to let her know that you are there for her and give her some space to resolve whatever it is herself. In the meantime, please don’t get worked up, you are being a great friend, and she will come to appreciate that. Hope this helps, Auntie Pat Dear Auntie Pat, A boy in my year is being so, so mean to me, he keeps calling me names and making fun of me, by now I would have told on him but I can’t because he is my best friends’ boyfriend and I am scared that if I tell on him, she will get mad and not want to be my friend anymore, so what should I do? Worried, 15 Hi Worried, Oh my, this is quite the conundrum! Of course, the best course of action would be to talk with your friend, explain what is going on, and how her boyfriend is behaving. She is your best friend so I’m sure she will care about your happiness, so hopefully she will ask him to stop herself. Another option would be to talk to the boy himself, and just tell him that you want him to stop. I know this probably sounds a bit stupid, but he may not be intending to hurt you and he believes that he is harmlessly joking around, you know what boys are like. If he did mean to be spiteful, and if your friend is not willing to help, you should definitely tell someone. Don’t keep quiet about this, if you do, it will just escalate into something worse. As you said, she is your best friend, she is not just going to stop being friends with you if her boyfriend is being horrible and you stand up for yourself, especially if this has been going on for a long time. I know that at the moment it seems like the world is going to end, but regardless of what you decide to do, it will all work out in the end. Hope this helps, Auntie Pat
Featured articles Creative Corner featured artist: Pablo Picasso Pablo Ruez Picasso is a very famous Spanish artist. He created pieces based on the styles of, painting, sculpting, printmaker, ceramicist and stage designer. Picasso was considered to be one of the most influential and highly regarded artists of the 20th century. Picasso was born in 25th October 1881. He was raised in Malaga, Spain, and his parents were Jose Ruiz Blasco (his Dad) and Maria Picasso Lopez (his Mum). His Dad was a professor of drawing and his mother sewed for a living. He lived in a family house near his school and attended the San Fernando Fine Art Royal Academy (influenced by his Uncle). Unfortunately, Picasso described himself as a relatively poor student. When he left school, he set off by himself to make his way in the world but disliked all the formalities of work. He is quoted as saying: “Instead, I became a painter and wound up as a Picasso”. For most of his adult life, he lived in France. Ever since the start of his life, he was different and unique. Check out some of our favourite pieces of his art below.
Featured articles Great Rishworth Artist Showdown Welcome to the Great Rishworth Artist Showdown! (G.R.A.S - for short). Our art competition will be spectacular and splendiferously amazing! This issue's information is below. Who’s going to get their drawing in the pride of place in the Winner Box? The Box of course will take pride of place in an outlined section in the next Rishworth Reporter. A Grand Prize will be given to the winner; it is a £10 Amazon gift voucher. If you win, your picture and name will be shown! You have to sign up first, with these details: To enter: Please email in your name and age to: rishworthreporter@rishworth-school.co.uk with your artwork. The judges of this contest will be ourselves and the magnificent Mrs Fraser. Deadline is 1st March
Menu - w/c 21st Feb 2022
Get in touch with the team
Monday Penne pasta bolognaise (DF) with garlic bread Sweetcorn fritters with yoghurt dip
Thank you for taking the time to read the this edition of the Rishworth Reporter. We have had so much fun putting the articles together in our EE class and in our own time too.
Tuesday Chicken balti pie Super greens cannelloni Wednesday Lamb moussaka (GF) Veggie sausage & kale pasta Thursday Chinese pork with rice & beans (GF) (DF) Mushroom chow mein (DF) Friday Chicken shawarma (DF) GF) Sweet chili halloumi (GF) Key: (DF) Dairy free, (GF) Gluten free
If you would like to get in touch with the magazine team, please speak to one of the editors or simply drop an email to rishworthreporter@rishworth-school.co.uk