Academic Reviews

SECTION ACADEMIC HEADINGREVIEWS

ACADEMIC OVERVIEW 2021/22

Excited…. Hopeful…. Thankful…. Nervous…. Given what 2020-21 had thrown at us, every student, parent and member of staff returning for the academic year 2021-22 would have been feeling some combination of these alongside other emotions. The desire to get back to normal, in most ways, was palpable and the growing vaccination programme gave us all greater confidence that we could achieve it this time around. Although it was a far from smooth journey, I can reflect on the last year with real pride. We often talk about the strength of our community, and this was at its most visible over the past twelve months. The students are routinely our primary focus, but I want to comment on the staff first, both teaching and nonteaching. The adaptability and energy that they showed across the year to ensure that the School did not miss a beat was incredible: supporting students in the face of readjusting to a greater degree of normality, teaching lessons on Zoom when isolation demanded it, covering for colleagues when online teaching was not possible, and simply maintaining a positive, constructive approach throughout a busy and challenging year was all very impressive. It has affirmed that a skilled and energetic staff body is key to making this fantastic community tick. The individual departments will give detail on the year from their perspective, but I know that all have relished being back to formal external examinations this year. This has meant that teachers can focus on what they do best in supporting students, rather than setting assessments for formal grading purposes. This was certainly a welcome return to one aspect of normality.

Of course, the return to external examinations has led to challenges and opportunities of a less familiar nature for our students. Whilst we have built in many mock assessment opportunities to provide comparable experiences, there is nothing quite like the nerves of the first exam paper! I have been very impressed by the way in which the Fifth Form, Upper Sixth, and a smaller number of Lower Sixth tackled the external exams. Nervous, yes, but also recognising that these are opportunities to show the results of all their hard work, and keen to make the most of it. Although these exams are very much focused on grades ultimately, we still try to stress that they are also learning opportunities which do not necessarily shape the rest of your life. If something does not turn out as positively as hoped for, it is important to reflect on the reasons why and consider what could be done differently (better) next time. In a wider sense, it has been great to see students from across all year groups having fun whilst learning, and supporting each other in this endeavour. Work in classrooms has been really positive, and educational trips have helped, once again, to bring this to life: more of that to come in the following pages…..

So, 2021-22 has been really positive and we all now wonder what 2022-23 will bring our way. The resilience developed in our learning community over the past two years has us ready to tackle almost anything, but I hope for a boringly routine year, in which the only excitement and challenge comes from the fantastic opportunities we continue to provide for our students!

Dale Cartwright, Deputy Head Learning and Teaching

ART

As a predominately practical subject, it has been good to return to teaching in the Art studios and to see the boys enjoy using a greater range of mediums. This has also allowed work to be carried out in a more engaging manner and on a larger scale. Many of our pupils have appreciated being able to explore working three-dimensionally, in the darkroom and using our printing press. We have also welcomed the return of exhibiting pupils’ work on the Headmaster’s easels outside the Memorial Hall. This is an exciting showcase to share with others the creative work carried out in the Department. From the First Form’s study of animals and Harry Potter wands through to the Upper Sixth Artists’ interpretation of the theme of Café Society, this year’s varied mix of work has taken us through the Second Form’s work on portraiture and Cubist faces and the study of perspective; Keith Haring figures were tackled by the Third Form; and the ever-popular theme of Graffiti and Free Form sculpture with our Fourth Form. The Shell and Fifth Forms have explored the more traditional themes of Impressionism and Pop Art in their work, whilst the Lower Sixth Form artists started to follow their artistic journey along the theme of expressionistic portraiture.

Other highlights of our year were the montage faces of Queen Elizabeth by the Second Form. These striking images were very well received at the Jubilee garden party. The Department has also benefited from the expertise of our Artist in Residence, Charlie Yuille. Charlie’s training at Savannah College of Art & Design and recent experience working in the world of graphic design in New York have been a great inspiration for our A Level pupils. The academic year ended with a vibrant display of the current GCSE and A Level coursework.

Jason Cordingley, Head of Art

V Form Art

CAREERS DEPARTMENT

The Careers Department has had an exciting year, with several new initiatives and developments - a welcome revival after the pandemic-affected period.

As a School, we have joined the Careers Development Institute (CDI), which is the single UK-wide professional body for careers education, guidance and management. Benefits include access to resources, publications, webinars and conferences, as well as offering the opportunity to keep up-to-date with developments / research within the sector, integrating theory into practice, guided by a professional Code of Ethics.

Over this academic year, the Careers, PSHE and Skills Departments have been working closely together to develop a comprehensive programme integrating all three areas, threading careers content into tutor time as well as PSHE slots, trialling this approach initially in VI Form, with a view to building it throughout the Middle Years. This has been very successful and we will continue to expand the integrated approach with Shell and LVI Forms next year. As part of this initiative, we are now introducing pupils to the very versatile Unifrog Careers Platform in IV Form as opposed to LVI Form, which enables them to familiarise themselves with the incredible resources available as well as building their profile throughout their Middle Years. In line with this, we are now using the Unifrog Interests and Personality Quizzes to aid in profiling possible future pathways rather than the My Futures Profile, again streamlining using one platform.

Other exciting news is that we have a dedicated Careers Hub situated within the new Laidlaw IT Suite, a welcome space where boys can browse a library of books, journals, prospectuses, research online and have a chat about their future pathways. There is also a selection of games, which are a fun way to engage Middle Years and, hopefully, some of our Pringle boys in thinking and talking about careers!

The Careers Cafes have continued throughout the Autumn and Lent Terms, providing an insight into a diverse array of careers, including Journalism, Entrepreneurship, Medicine, Surgery, Civil Engineering, Sports Science and life as a Royal Marine. These events offer a super opportunity to take a walk into a variety of careers, to ask questions, make contacts and, in an informal setting, to gather information to help make informed decisions about future choices.

In March, we hosted the 2022 Merchiston Careers Convention for the first time in two years, welcoming a range of exhibitors from different organisations with whom our boys engaged whole-heartedly. This is a major element of Careers Guidance and Education at Merchiston, and provides an opportunity to gain insight into different careers and pathways as well as to make useful contacts.

Careers presentations have also been woven into assemblies, including guest speakers from Raleigh International and Project Trust, giving an insight into the benefits, logistics and nuts and bolts of Gap years, whilst InvestIn delivered a participatory session on Making the Most of Work Experience, Perfecting Your C.V. and Job Applications.

Keen to work throughout the School integrating a careers curriculum into all year groups, the Careers Department has been involved in the Pringle Careers Week, through talks as well as variety of games; engaging with the Middle Years through participatory games; Careers Cafe talks; 1:1 career discussion in V Form following completion of the Personality and Interests Quizzes; and in the Sixth Form assisting with work experience, C.V. writing, job applications, apprenticeships and university applications through Careers Drop-in sessions.

Karen Coyne, Head of Careers

CLASSICS

A sense of normality made a welcome return this year and was greeted with much enthusiasm in the Classics Department. There were excellent results from last year’s “lock down” A Level set, with a couple of boys going on to study Ancient History as part of their university courses; this is always very pleasing to see. Healthy set sizes at GCSE and A Level continue to see Classics thriving in the School this year, with a particularly enthusiastic UVI Classical Civilisation set, which has been a pleasure to teach.

Many of our regular activities were able to take place again this year, including our annual trip to Hadrian’s Wall with the GCSE Classical Civilisation set. This is a fun but also very useful day out, which allows the boys to improve their knowledge in preparation for the War and Warfare GCSE module. They enjoyed visiting the Roman Army Museum and the archaeological site at Vindolanda, where they saw the remains of a real Roman fortress and learnt more about how the legion would have lived. Annual trips to the British Museum in London for both the GCSE and A Level sets will begin again next year, which the boys are very much looking forward to.

Matthew Hillier, Head of Classics

DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

A YEAR OF COMPETITIONS

CanSat I: November 2021 – April 2022 In March, a Merchiston Design and Technology team comprising four Fifth Form pupils and one Upper Sixth pupil visited Machrihanish Spaceport to compete in the Scottish Regional Finals of the European Space Agency’s CanSat Competition. The team was challenged to fit all major subsystems of a satellite into the volume and shape of a soft drinks can. The CanSat was launched by a rocket to an altitude of approximately 1km, reaching a top speed of 230mph and, in under two seconds, it was over 200m in the sky. The CanSat successfully transmitted all of the data the team needed - altitude, air pressure, temperature, precipitation and lighting – and back on the ground, we received and were able to interpret and analyse all this data. The 2022 MerchiCan team members were Callum R, Rohan R, Kit N, Logan Q and Richard Z, all of whom worked incredibly hard on this project, and overcame all the challenges with which they were faced. This was the first time Merchiston had competed in this competition, and it will not be the last. The team is already planning its next CanSat mission. Sadly, the team did not win the Regional Finals, but it proved to be an exhilarating experience for everyone involved. It included the team’s first overnight trip since the Covid outbreak, watching a rocket (with the team’s satellite in it) get launched into the sky, fish and chips by the sea, and a trip to Cruachan Power Station.

Design Ventura I: Sept 2021 – Feb 2022

Design Ventura challenges students to design a new product for the Design Museum shop. This year, a Third Form team took part, comprising Fergus W, Hamish H, Sikai C and Anton S. The Design Museum’s flagship learning project is an opportunity for students to develop design thinking, creative and business capabilities and employability skills. The project was launched in 2010 in partnership with Deutsche Bank, as part of the bank’s global youth engagement programme, Born to Be, and has seen over 108,250 students participate. This year, the challenge invited teams to be inspired by their senses, asking "What can you see, hear, smell, taste and touch around you? What ideas does that inspire?".

Teams were asked to submit a product idea which should improve everyday life by meeting the needs of a specific audience group or by addressing a social, educational or environmental issue. Entries were to be accessible and sustainable, and teams were asked to consider the environmental and ethical implications of their idea, who would use it and how, its accessibility and construction, using the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for reference.

The boys developed a product to relieve boredom and stress: a step-by-step Origami plant and vase product, made from paper with seeds in it. Once finished with, it could be planted and would become beautiful flowers. The product met the brief by improving family bonding time, as well as manual dexterity and hand-eye co-ordination, and, of course, the product would ultimately bloom into beautiful scented flowers.

Unfortunately, the team was not shortlisted in the finals of the competition, but received positive and constructive feedback from the judges. Well done to the whole team.

#DigiInventors Challenge I: Sept 2021 – Nov 2022

Back in November, we were absolutely thrilled that two of our Design Technology Activities teams were Scottish finalists in the 2021 #DigiInventorsChallenge.

The #DigiInventorsChallenge, in association with Glasgow Warriors and the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI), asks young people to identify health and care challenges that could be helped by a digital solution. The finalists take part in a 2-day virtual bootcamp and present to a panel of expert judges during the final. The winners get the opportunity to develop their idea into a Minimal Viable Project. This year, the challenge went global and a parallel #DigiInventorsChallenge took place in the United Arab Emirates. Both the Scottish and UAE winning ideas will be showcased at Expo 2020 Dubai in 2022.

Out-smarting the smart watch, 'Find Your Feet' is an insole that keeps track of users' fitness with sensors taking measurements such as step count and heart rate, as well as offering premium comfort and supporting good technique. The idea was developed by Fifth Formers Richard Z, Rohan, Kit and Logan.

‘Egg Shell’ was developed by Fourth Formers Yugi, Ghani and Torquill. It is a device to encourage and support children and young people to undertake tasks they do not feel motivated to do. The team attended a two-day bootcamp, where they listened to presentations from business and design experts, that allowed the teams to refine and develop their own product and final pitch. This included input from Ted X and the Scottish Tech Army. Both

teams were asked a series of questions from a panel of judges, in both Scotland and Dubai, and both teams performed incredibly well.

Unfortunately, neither of the teams’ products were picked as the overall winners, but it was a fantastic experience for everyone involved, not to mention the fantastic goodie bags that were supplied by #DigiInventors and their sponsors.

Well done to both teams!

Micro-Tyco Challenge

Micro-Tyco Innovate is a 30-day entrepreneurial training programme that teaches students about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The students are encouraged to create responsible business ideas that champion the SDGs in their school or local community. Teams that create the best ideas are invited to take part in WildHearts regional and national finals.

Micro-Tyco inspires an entrepreneurial environment that fosters creative thinking, resourcefulness and teamwork, as well as helping pupils to develop financial literacy, communication, leadership, project management and networking skills. By taking part in Micro-Tyco, our senior pupils learnt how business can be a force for good and gained experience that enhances their personal statement and CV. Students are also provided with the chance to secure work experience with leading employers.

This year's team consisted of two A Level Product Design students, Erik N and Lyle M. Together, they came up with a series of local community level proposals that would help to keep our seas free from debris. The United Nations SDG 14, Life Below Water, was their chosen goal, after seeing first hand some of the devastating pollution being caused in their local area, as well as whilst abroad on holiday.

Erik and Lyle put together a 20-minute presentation for the Regional Finals of the competitions. They later found out they were shortlisted in the National Finals and worked with their industry experts, Barclays, to help refine their idea and pitch it. Following two workshops with Barclays, Erik and Lyle pulled together a new 5-minute presentation which was been sent to WildHearts Group for judging. Unfortunately, they were unable to make the National Finals in person because of exams, but it was a fantastic experience for the boys nonetheless.

Industrial Cadets Bronze Project

The Industrial Cadets Bronze Project run by EDT (the Engineering Development Trust), is an exciting STEM challenge for teams of six pupils working over twelve weeks on a project based around the digital world, circular economy and renewable energy, or the environment. They are tasked with finding a solution to the issue at hand and presenting this through a written report, model(s) and a virtual presentation. As well as graduating from the scheme as Bronze-level Industrial Cadets, national accreditation for STEM work, students gain valuable employability skills such as communication, problem-solving and project management.

Each team is supported throughout the project by industry mentor(s), STEM professionals from their partnering company who provide valuable subject-specific knowledge and insight into their organisation and career

journeys. This year, we were paired with Leonardo, which proved to be a valuable resource to our team throughout the project. We thank them for all their help.

Massive congratulations go to six of our IV Form pupils – Yuqi C, Ghani R, Henry A, Eithan L and Murray B – who won the East of Scotland Regional Finals of the EDT Bronze Industrial Cadets Challenge. The team worked tirelessly on this project over a few months during their DT activities, as well as during prep. The Graduation Day took place, in person, late in the Summer Term: the culmination of the hard work completed by all participating teams in this hub across the country, and a celebration of their achievements. Each pupil received an individual Industrial Cadets certificate, Young STEM Leader Award and a Crest Award, overall winners of the National awards on offer were also announced.

In answer to the Tomorrow’s Tech Today brief, the EDT Team came up with PathFinder; a technologically advanced space structure that delivers safe commercial space travel.

The team members received their regional awards trophy and presented their proposal to STEM industry professionals from across Scotland at the National Finals, which took place on 31 May. Unfortunately, they were not announced as the national winners, but represented the School with pride and performed incredibly well on the day.

In the penultimate week of the Summer Term, the boys then travelled to Birmingham to pitch their PathFinder project in the Big Bang UK STEM Fair. There they attended a number of workshops and spoke to STEM industry professionals from across the UK. At the awards ceremony, they came away as Runners Up in the Junior Engineer of the Year category – an amazing achievement.

Industrial Cadets Gold Project

The Industrial Cadets Gold Project (previously known as the Engineering Education Scheme) is run by the Engineering Development Trust (EDT), over a three-month period. The project connects A Level students with local companies and engineers, allowing the students to gain insight into engineering careers and opportunities, and develop skills by working on a real engineering project. Working with Leonardo mentors, six students were challenged to investigate radar designs and how objects are detected/identified, looking at ways in which a radar may be made more low-cost.

The team came up with a proposal to implement a radar into the front section of glasses. This product would be designed for partially-blinded army veterans or as a secondary option to night vision or infrared goggles.

For this project, the team completed a report, carried out a significant amount of investigation work, as well as producing an array of prototypes to help communicate their idea. Well done to the Lower Sixth Form team, William T, Thomas S, Angus M, Ramsay B and Oliver P, who we look forward to seeing graduate as Gold Industrial Cadets later this year.

Design a Flag Platinum Jubilee Competition

In March, two Design Technology A Level pupils launched a design competition which involved flag making. The international company, Flagmakers, which makes flags for well-known brands including Tiffanys and Cartier, invited students to get involved in their “Design Your Own Flag” competition, joining in the celebrations of the Platinum Jubilee and learning about the rich history behind national flags. 2022 is a momentous year for the UK and the Royal Family: already the longest-serving female head of state in history, Queen Elizabeth II will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, commemorating 70 years on the throne. A selection of winning designs would be made into flags by the professional company, Flagmakers, with the design printed as a 1-yard flag for the winner to keep forever as a momento of this significant year. We were delighted to hear that one of our entries, by Second Former Calum R, was chosen. His design was made into a one-yard flag, which we flew on the

School’s flagpole for our Jubilee celebrations.

Conway’s Coin Merchistonian Competition

Hugh Conway, a Merchistonian, studied Mechanical Engineering after leaving School. His many achievements included working for Bugatti and Concorde. In 1967, whilst working as the Managing Director at Bristol Siddeley Engines, now known as Rolls Royce, he proposed a new design for the 50p coin, coming up with the unique ‘equilateral curve heptagon’ shape. The 50p coin celebrated 50 years in circulation in 2019. It was engineered to perfection, a testament to Mr Conway’s design.

Mr Conway died in 1989: to remember him and to honour his legacy, we ran a design competition. All pupils were given the opportunity to submit either a paper or digital redesign of the ‘tails’ side of the 50p coin. Designs were asked to honour Mr Conway himself, and/or our School. The entries were sent to Spain, to Mr Conway’s son, to be judged.

Our overall winner, III Former Hamish, won a handcrafted, equilateral-curved heptagon frame, containing 50p pieces, as well as an original 50p coin from 1969 – thanks to Rev Blair. There were also two runners-up, Henry H (IV Form) and Sikai C (III Form): both received an original 1969 50p coin. Well done and thank you to all who took part in this fun and exciting in-house competition.

The ‘Made in Merchiston’ initiative hopes to find other Merchistonian designers and engineers. Do you know any? We would love to hear from you if you do!

Florence Donaldson, Design & Technology Department

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

In October, we were able to get back to the theatre, taking our new Upper Sixth pupils to the King’s for a production of The Woman in Black. This was hugely enjoyable, but paled in comparison to the outstanding Bristol Old Vic adaptation of Wuthering Heights, also at the King’s Theatre, that we were able to go and see in the Summer Term. As English prefect, Will F, puts it: “The theatre trips to see Wuthering Heights and The Woman in Black have been the cherries on top of a great academic year!” We also went to see Men Should Weep with the Higher class. It really has been fantastic getting back to normal this year: in no way more so than in being able to return to the theatre – a cultural area in which Edinburgh offers us so many opportunities. We are looking forward to capitalising on these again next year.

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As the first UNESCO City of Literature, Edinburgh offers us an incredible wealth of literary opportunities. We were devastated to learn of the death this year of Catherine Walker, curator of the Writers’ Museum at Craiglockhart, where we have enjoyed taking pupils in the past to learn about Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon and others. This year’s edition of The Hydra is dedicated to her memory.

More happily, this year we were able this year to do our first Robert Louis Stevenson walk and writing workshop, having had to cancel it last year due to Covid. Shell pupils enjoyed walking in Stevenson’s footsteps, and exploring the mural in Colinton Tunnel, inspired by his poem ‘From a Railway Carriage’.

It has been a pleasure being able to say a proper goodbye to our leavers this year, and we are delighted that Will N goes on to study English Literature at University and comments: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my six years of learning in the English Department. I look forward to building upon both my knowledge and enjoyment of the subject next year at university”.

Arran C, who goes on to study Business, feels that he got a lot from the A Level too, writing: “I developed a passion for English, and literature as a whole, through the two years I spent studying the A Level English course at Merchiston”. Comments like these are hugely validating, and express the sorts of feelings that get us all coming back to do it again year after year.

As Ms Cunningham, who returned for the Summer Term, writes: “After a two-year break from teaching, I have had the privilege of working with Junior and Middle Years pupils this term. Meeting students from my past did not just allow me to reconnect with old pupils but made me consider the extent to which the department is an enabling community. What struck me most powerfully, was the transformative role good teaching had in turning young students of my past into enthusiastic learners capable of independent thought. My old students were older and indeed wiser, but crucially their educational journey has been set on course by staff who were passionate about their subject and whose knowledge and enthusiasm had facilitated positive change in their students. The English Department is an enabling community and that, above all else, is what makes me proud to be part of it”.

From September, Dr Anderson will take up the stewardship of the English Department community, ably supported by Mrs Binnie, Mr Douglas, Dr Mechie, and Mrs Gibb in the Library. We say goodbye, and good luck in the History Department to Mr Glover, and we look forward to welcoming Ms Callan. Calum Mechie, Head of English

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

It has been fantastic to have a thriving international community back in School and in the classrooms this academic year. In EAL, we have had a wide range of pupils from all levels across the School, II Form through to Upper VI. Countries represented included: Spain, Ukraine, Japan, Luxembourg, Germany, China, Hong Kong, Switzerland, France, Mexico and Russia.

We encourage our pupils to enjoy learning English by personalising things as much as possible. We try to ensure that it is relevant and appropriate to them by making things topic-based, e.g. cross-curricular, School events, sport, technology, etc. We have a lively wall display of work to reflect this. Articles have been produced based on the Pringle kilt walk and camp, festivals in our countries and the Merchiston rugby triumph at Murrayfield. We are currently working on a time capsule project!

Spelling seems to be a dying art due to the spellcheck function on iPads and laptops. Therefore, we have spent more time this year than previously on spelling and this is a trend that we fully expect to be building on in the future. Do you know that the word most often spelt incorrectly nowadays is ‘separate’, closely followed by ‘definitely’?!

Most boys who come to Merchiston are already aware of how important English is for them. They appreciate that a good command of English is a life skill, useful for travel, and also that English is important for their careers and can provide the edge in the job market. To that end, most pupils choose to take an EAL exam during their stay at the School.

2021/22 has been a busy Cambridge exam year. Due to the varying lengths of stays of international boys, they have been presented for Cambridge exams as follows: B1 Preliminary – June x 2 B2 First – December x 3, March x 6, June x 7 C1 Advanced – June x 1 IELTS – x 9

We also like to recognise effort, achievement and progress in English over the course of the academic year at the end-of-year awards at the annual Prizegiving ceremony. Our EAL academic prizes for 2021/2022 went to:

Juniors – Miguel EP (Spain) Middle Years – Nicolas JE (Spain) Seniors – Fedor M (Russia)

The EAL Department has also been involved in various Whole School events this year; organising International Week, Jubilee celebrations and charity fundraising events for Hope and Homes for Children. You will find more about these in separate articles elsewhere in the magazine.

Susan Hardman, Head of EAL

GEOGRAPHY

It was with much relief that we found ourselves back in the Geography classrooms for the start of the new academic year. It has been even more delightful that classes remained there throughout the year. It was so lovely to be teaching the pupils in person again, and much effort was put into a rapid review, and moving forward in all our syllabuses. In addition, we jumped into running the always enjoyed and much learnt from fieldwork for all year groups again. The following are but examples of the field trips which the pupils enjoy.

Early in the Autumn Term, we were masked-up walking the streets of four contrasting parts of Edinburgh (Colinton, Leith, City Centre, Morningside) with the IV Form, undertaking primary fieldwork into the Geography of Crime. Whilst undertaking surveys such as the Index of Burglarability, Tally of Police Presence, Housing Decay Index, Environmental Quality Assessment, some pupils were even successful in questioning members of the public about their perceptions of crime in the area. The pupils learnt much from devising their research questions, exploring relevant methodology to implement, carrying out the fieldwork, and then analysing, presenting, interpreting, concluding and evaluating their results – all excellent geographical skills that are never too early to learn.

Coastal fieldwork with the LVI pupils along the Lothian coast from Dunbar to Portobello was more easily conducted at the tail end of Covid, with the fresh winds at the raised beaches and coastal erosion of Dunbar, sand dune succession of Yellowcraigs, salt marshes of Aberlady, and coastal defences of Portobello posing only physical hazards, rather than being a pandemic superspreader threat! More of a challenge were the LVI Form’s three further field days gathering their individual coursework data on the social and economic impacts (including the winners and losers) of Rebranding in Leith, which they write up as 20% of their final A Level grade. Leith residents became used to our uniform, and folk were very generous with their time, agreeing to respond to pupil questionnaires as they went about their daily life on the streets of Leith, and many businesses agreeing to brief interviews from the pupils investigating answers to their many research themes. Topics chosen this year ranged from the impacts of regeneration on the environmentally sustainable behaviour of residents in Leith, to impacts on deprivation in the area, to questioning the extent to which placing The Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith has contributed to the local economy there, amongst many others.

The Shell year group of IGCSE geographers loved the measuring of river variables along the Lyne Water from its headwaters in the Pentland Hills to the west of Edinburgh, down through West Linton, and further down to where it enters the River Tweed, just west of Peebles. Waiting until

just after the Easter holidays in the hope that the weather will be warm can never be a sure bet in Scotland, but the cold water and cool temperatures never seem to dampen the enthusiasm with which the pupils wade into the river time and time again throughout the day to collect their data, regardless of the river being wider and deeper and faster flowing the more we head downstream! The writeup of this investigation amounts to 27.5% of their final IGCSE grade, and so it is a boost that their journey to complete this with a quality write-up is started with such an enjoyed day of fieldwork.

Two further notable activities that the Geography Department run on behalf of the School are also highlights. The School’s Sustainability Committee has made excellent progress on a range of fronts, including explaining Glasgow Cop26 to the School community, implementing strategies to reduce food waste in the Dining Hall, and undertaking a major review into the School’s recycling of its waste. These are written up in more detail in a separate article. So is the very successful 2022 expedition to Iceland, enjoyed by twenty-four Shell and V Formers during the first week of the Easter Holidays (despite many challenges thrown at the organization of this expedition by both Brexit and Covid).

As if all the above was not enough, the final pleasure was the privilege of preparing the external exam year groups for their final exams (IGCSE, Higher, and A Level) that actually took place this year for the first time in two years. This is so much more of a rewarding experience for both pupils and staff compared to the substitute assessments that had to replace the final exams over the past two years. Pupils (particularly UVI formers, who had missed taking GCSE exams two year previously) rallied and strengthened valiantly during the final months of preparation. Only time will tell if they are each rewarded with the good results they hope for. They certainly deserve to be.

Tanya Bower, Head of Geography

HISTORY AND PPE FACULTY REPORT 2021 - 22

Looking over my most recent Merchistonian report, which was several years ago, I remember reflecting on the blessing (or curse) of the old Chinese proverb “May you live in interesting times”. I wrote that on the cusp of Brexit, with Trump in the White House and populism rising in Europe. I remember thinking that our times could hardly become any more “interesting”, but that was before a global pandemic came and overturned all of our perceptions of how the world operates in the 21st century. Interesting indeed!

History, Politics and Economics are key to understanding the world in any time, but they are particularly important to our boys now as they look out into an unstable, constantly changing world. These are interesting times for us as a faculty too. The last time I wrote my Merchistonian report, I wrote as the Head of History & Politics, but since then we have also joined forces with the subject of Economics, so I now write as the Head of the Faculty of History & PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics). PPE is a very popular degree subject, for which many of our boys apply at university, so we saw it as a huge opportunity for our subjects to work together as a faculty. All of the teachers in our faculty now teach at least two of these subjects: the breadth of knowledge that this gives us has informed our teaching enormously and led to a much better experience for the boys in all of our subjects. Philosophy is not taught as a distinct A Level, but is a deeply imbedded part of each of the other subject, particularly in Politics. Our vision statement as a faculty is “to develop individuals who are engaged with and interested in the forces that formed the contemporary world and continue to shape it”, and this motivates what we do in every lesson across our subjects.

It has, we hope, been a particularly good experience for boys who take more than one of our subjects. History, Politics and Economics inform one another to a huge degree. Learning about ideas of representation in Politics also informs our boys who learn about the Founding Fathers of the USA in History. Learning about the factors that governments take into account when regulating

inflation helps to inform our study of economic crises in History. There are countless other examples, and we discover new ones every day. This has been a learning journey as much for our teachers as for our students.

We have also piloted a whole new subject in the School: BTEC Entrepreneurship. This option is worth the same number of UCAS points as an A Level, and is accepted by many universities as an equivalent, but it also caters for students who struggle with the academic focus that A Levels require, and provides opportunities for those who prefer a more hands-on approach to how businesses work. Our current Lower VI is in its first year of the subject, so we are still very much at the pilot stage, but watch this space to see how it develops.

With that have come some changes in staff. In this academic year, we have been very sorry to lose Mr Newham, our Assistant Head Academic and teacher of History and Politics, who has gone to take on a new challenge as Deputy Head Academic of a new school, Harrow Appi in Japan. We have also said goodbye to Mr Donkin, our highly respected Economics teacher, who has returned to his homeland of South Africa to take up a job at Hilton College, nearer to his family. We are very pleased, however, to welcome Peter Golden as a new teacher of Economics and Entrepreneurship. Mr Golden previously taught for a term at Merchiston before the pandemic struck. He has been a Housemaster and Head of Department at several schools, and his vast experience has proved hugely valuable with our VI Form boys, as have his co-curricular skills with our juniors. Richard Glover also joins us. Mr Glover has worked at Merchiston in several capacities over the last few years, but in joining the Faculty of History & PPE he has, in many ways, found his natural habitat. He originally qualified as a History teacher before working in many capacities across many schools, including as a Deputy Head in Brooklyn, USA. His skills, enthusiasm and vigour make him an enormous asset as a teacher of History and of Entrepreneurship, and he takes a range of high-level sports further down the School. Mr Hall is also now teaching some A Level Politics, in addition to his role in the Geography Department, and Mrs McDiarmid continues to bring her invaluable experience to the teaching of A Level Politics and to History across all the School’s age range.

Since Covid, History & PPE has been one of the first parts of the School to get trips up and running again. I was very pleased that our History trip to Durham Cathedral could operate once more, and we are looking at developing our programme of trips for future years. We also took advantage of COP-26 happening in Glasgow to take our A Level Politics boys on a day visit there. We had a walk around Glasgow to learn about its political history, visited the publicly accessible COP site, and even caught a glimpse of the Prime Minister as he arrived at Glasgow Central Station to address the summit.

Who knows what history-making events might occur in our world before I write again? One thing I do know: our newly formed faculty will continue to work hard to give Merchiston boys all the tools they need to be able to understand it.

MATHEMATICS

After a very different and often challenging couple of years, boys and staff alike were happy that in 2021-22, life in the Mathematics Department gradually returned to our more familiar routines!

In the absence of external exams, Summer 2021 saw the IGCSE and A Level students go through a vigorous process of internal testing; they worked hard throughout this process and received a well-deserved set of excellent results. We were pleased to see that, equipped with this preparation, a number of boys went on to pursue Maths or Maths-related disciplines at university.

This year, our UVI and V Form students were able to work towards their external examinations with greater confidence and, indeed, the boys have impressed us with their resilience, determination and effort over their A Level and IGCSE courses, as well as in the approach to their examinations.

Outside the curriculum, we were delighted that pupils and staff were again able to participate in a number of Maths activities and celebrations. In September, we marked Scottish Maths Week with a series of puzzles set by Mr McCorkell; pupils of all ages participated and had success here, while Rev Blair won the staff competition. Mrs Duncan’s photography competition for Pringle, under the theme of “Maths is all around us”, once again received a number of excellent entries and the staff enjoyed judging these.

International Pi Day, meanwhile, was celebrated on 14 March with a range of activities, including pupils learning and reciting digits of pi (with some Pringle pupils just beating the Sixth Formers!), and opportunities for creativity in the form of pi-ku poetry and origami pi symbols.

Our clinics were run on a weekly basis for all Middle Years and Senior pupils, and the Maths prefects were once again at work in the boarding houses; it was good to see a number of boys taking advantage of these opportunities for support and we are grateful to the prefects for the role they have played this year.

As always, we participated in external Maths competitions and we were very pleased to see how many boys achieved success in the UKMT Maths Challenges. In the Senior Mathematics Challenge, students earned two Gold, five Silver and nine Bronze awards; Robbie D and Bion Y qualified for the Senior Kangaroo and both achieved Merit certificates.

In the Intermediate Mathematics Challenge, we were delighted to see the boys achieve seven Gold, nine Silver and eleven Bronze certificates. Our seven top-scoring pupils also qualified for the Pink Kangaroo competition and Oliver Z achieved a Merit. Most recently, in the Junior Mathematics Challenge, Merchiston boys earned five Gold, eleven Silver and fifteen Bronze awards, giving us the highest total number of certificates in this competition since 2015. Three of these boys (Yuqi C, Fergus F and Phillip G) went on to compete in the Junior Kangaroo.

With respect to staffing changes, after many years serving the boys and staff as an excellent teacher and Head of Department, last year marked the departure of Dr Vian for St George’s School. Her teaching experience, vast academic expertise and friendship were all highly valued, and we were very sorry to see her time at Merchiston come to an end.

In August, we were pleased to welcome to the department Mr John Butterfield, another hugely experienced and enthusiastic teacher who has been a great asset this year in his part-time role. We were also joined on a temporary basis by Mrs Kirsty Whittle, who has been an excellent addition to the Pringle team and is helping to inspire our younger pupils in their mathematical journeys. We are delighted that the Maths Department will continue to grow with the arrival in September of Miss Elizabeth Atkinson, who has a particular interest in Mechanics and a passion for seeing pupils develop their understanding through problem-solving.

The long-standing Maths Department tradition of “Cake Friday” has continued, with cross-curricular involvement provided by the Economics and Library staff. With Maths continuing to be a popular choice among the VI Form boys, the Department is always busy, and we look forward to what next year will bring!

Naomi Steen, Head of Mathematics

(From left to right) Mathematical Origami Some of the boys who earned certificates in the UKMT Junior Mathematics Challenge. LVI students evaluating one another’s solutions.

III Form Art

MODERN LANGUAGES

This session, boys have undertaken external examinations in five different languages and off-timetable tuition in two further languages. We have benefited from the presence of two British Council language assistants and from the support of external organisations.

As part of the Spanish film festival, Shell boys had a film and tapas night, watching ‘Campeones’ in house.

Different year groups similarly watched French films from the Schools programme of the French Film Festival.

Shell pupil Juan Pablo was awarded a certificate by the Franco-Scottish Society for his review, written in French, of the film Fahim.

Current Fifth Formers Freddie J and Todd B were regional winners in the Institut Français’s Pop Video Competition, impressing with their Covid lyrics and dance performance…! They have won books for themselves and for the School library. Merci bien, les garçons.

The Chinese New Year was celebrated, not quite in the usual style, but with enthusiasm - in the Art Department.

We have again participated in the Anthea Bell Prize for Translation, organised by the Translation Exchange based at The Queen’s College Oxford, and current Fourth Formers George A and Henry A were awarded commendations, both for translations of German poems.

In Mandarin, two pupils, Max M and Fedor B, successfully completed the HSK Chinese Proficiency Test a year early this year. This is an international standardised test, and achieving HSK Level 3 will allow them to study at top Chinese universities with a scholarship. Well done!

We look forward to further such stellar achievements and real-world application of language knowledge. Next session, we will again have two new assistants, and we welcome incoming Prefects for 2022-23, Max dM, Max D, Robin R and Lukas M, who have already proven themselves “ready ay ready”!

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

This year, the PE members of staff were so excited to get started again, with most of the Covid restrictions gone and a return to the normal schedule that we had missed so much. We also had the welcome addition to the PE Department of Merchistonian Cameron Gray, who was returning as a sports graduate after excelling in his work experience here in the Summer Term of 2021. With regards to the core PE curriculum, we taught eight different sports over the course of the academic year. In each term, we focused on various different components of physical education, as detailed in the table below:

Autumn Term - Personal Competencies Lent Term - Cognitive skills Summer Term - Personal Qualities

Hockey

Badminton Handball / Basketball Volleyball Tennis / Spike ball Football

Further to the sports we offered, we also managed to continue the roll-out of the Fundamental Movement Skills throughout Pringle, led by our own guru, Mr Noble. Each Pringle class had one lesson per cycle to develop the core movements. This initiative gives the boys an opportunity to improve their mobility and basic movements patterns. However, the easiest way of looking at them is by separating the skills into three categories: locomotion, stabilisation and manipulation. This year also saw the welcome return of public exams, and I know that the Department was delighted that normal practice had resumed. All academic classes had worked extremely well in challenging circumstances last year and seemed prepared and ready for the challenges that this year would bring. As always, all boys performed well in the practical element of their courses, which allowed them to have confidence going into their summer examination period.

Finally, in 2022/23, there could be an exciting new initiative for the Department. With Napier University on our doorstep, we have the opportunity to take the UVI pupils from both Higher and A Level PE courses to Napier’s UKleading sports labs. This will give the boys an opportunity to learn in a new environment once a term, focusing on the practical testing parts of the courses and completing these specialised tests in the outstanding new facilities there. It will also give the boys a chance to sample a day in the life of a student in Further Education.

Craig Harrison, Head of Physical Education

PSHE AND LIFE SKILLS 2021/22

PSHE and Life Skills are subjects that, although they are not formally assessed, are absolutely vital to the development of young minds. In the past year, the value of providing pupils with opportunities to reflect, discuss and engage with real-life topics could not have been more important.

Providing a slightly less formal space for pupils, where they feel comfortable to talk openly, learn about and debate the topics at hand, is vital. These lessons, in partnership with excellent work across the whole School, help to tie much of the Merchiston boy’s School life together. We continue to work closely with Ms Coyne (Head of Careers) and Ms Williams (Skills Co-ordinator) to provide high quality opportunities for our pupils to develop both their academic and social skills. Our aim is to foster young adults ready to meet the challenges of life outside Merchiston with confidence and dignity.

In PSHE & Life Skills this year, the topics the pupils have engaged with include:

Rights & Responsibilities, Assessing Risk, Hygiene for Health, Sexual Health and Relationships, Risk Taking - Alcohol and Substance Misuse, Wellbeing, Health in Our World, The Media and Body Image, Mind MOT – coping with pressure, Equality, Bullying Awareness, Internet Safety, Eat Yourself Happy!, Attitude – build your brand, Resilience – easier said than done, Be Yourself – peer pressure, Revision skills, Poverty & Development, Economic Wellbeing, Citizenship & the UK Political System, Bereavement & Loss, and a Review of the Year.

Visiting speakers

We have been lucky to have a variety of excellent guest speakers for both pupils and parents, including:

Leonie Griffin and Catriona Scott of the Stewart Ivory Educational Trust, ran on-line financial workshops for the Sixth Form;

We were lucky enough to have Allison Havey from The RAP Project come and speak to the Lower Sixth. The focus was about the development of positive and healthy relationships, with reference also made to the ‘Everyone’s Invited’ movement; Avril Ronan from internet safety company Trend Micro delivered an engaging and informative webinar for our parents as part of their Internet Safety for Kids and Families Programme (ISKF). The Merchiston community was able to log in and learn more about a variety of topics, including safe use of social media, managing screen time for young people, online gaming, and protecting your family’s online privacy;

Emma Cole was able to return to Merchiston in November in order to speak to Shell pupils about her experience being HIV positive and on the topic of HIV and AIDS awareness more generally. Her frank, thoughtprovoking and entertaining delivery was very engaging.

Julie Wilkinson from the anti-bullying organisation Brave the Rage was able to deliver sessions for our Junior school in October last year.

Youth Philanthropy Initiative

Over the course of this year, the Fourth Form boys have been working hard in small groups to select and contact local charities and to present their chosen organisation to a panel of judges and pitch for a cheque for £3000. This culminated in June when all seven groups made their pitches and were judged on a variety of criteria such as engagement, impact, passion, presentation skills and creativity. It was a hard-fought battle and all groups put forward a compelling case for a whole range of very worthy charities.

The final winners were Nick DV, Hippolyte P, Cameron S, Ismael W, Josh C, and Thomas S, who put forward a highly persuasive case for supporting Edinburgh Young Carers, an organisation which seeks to lighten the load of young people across the capital who are engaged in caring for family members.

The importance of the topics and issues investigated in PSHE and Life Skills are central to development of fullyrounded young adults. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our fantastic PSHE and Life Skills teachers for their commitment to putting their pupils at the heart of their practice.

SCIENCE AND OUTDOOR CLASSROOM REPORT

We are delighted to be back on site this year with our resident animals and our fantastic facilities, both within Gibson House and in our outdoor classroom. Last year, we managed to hatch one chicken and one duck, which now live together in the aviary in our outdoor classroom. Recently, the duck has started laying eggs and the boys have enjoyed finding these and cooking them in the boarding house or taking them home. Our greenhouse is blooming with new fruits and vegetables and has been used to demonstrate sexual and asexual reproduction strategies and for Pringle experiments. The pond is thriving with a high biodiversity of pond skaters, tadpoles and water snails, along with my personal favourite, the water boatman, and the boys’ favourite, Smooth newts! These are protected in the UK and make for some interesting conversations about conservation.

Upstairs in Gibson House is home to our chameleon, tortoise, Rankin dragon, two corn snakes, ball python, stick insects, African hissing cockroaches, our 51-year-old giant African land snail and an array of tropical and cold-water fish. The boys love coming up and exploring them all, whether they just want to look, watch the snakes being fed or brave taking them out for themselves.

It has been a busy year in Physics and we are looking forward to, and now planning, the return of lots of activities post-COVID. We are hoping to see the return of our annual trip to CERN, starting in 2023. This year, we were very lucky to have a dedicated seminar given by Dr Cristiano Alpigiani about his work in Particle Physics. He gave us a detailed talk about the exciting work that is being done at the Large Hadron Collider and the many open questions they are hoping to resolve.

This academic session, the Chemistry Department has had the opportunity to send four A Level students to a Chemistry ‘lab day’ experience at Heriot Watt university. The students had the opportunity to spend a day in the life of an undergraduate chemist, completing complex practical work with equipment not usually available to them in School. This day was organised and supported by SCIS (Scottish Council of Independent Schools). Later on, in the Summer Term, there were opportunities to participate in the Schools’ Analyst Competition and a Salters’ Chemistry Festival. The former is an extra-curricular Chemistry competition for A Level students, where they carry out complex analytical Chemistry practical-based problems as part of a team. The Salters’ Festival is for younger (III Form) students to attend an exciting lab day out of School, with a mixture of practical experiments and exciting lecturedemonstrations.

In Biology, we have enjoyed getting back to the classroom so that the boys can carry out some practical work themselves. We aim to let the boys try some unusual dissections, for example a snake, bearded dragon and many squirrels from our campus, and we love to show the boys comparisons of organs and organ systems from different species. In May, we took the LVI boys to Edinburgh Zoo for a Biodiversity and Conservation workshop and they had a lovely afternoon exploring some of the endangered animals and ex-situ conservation work that they learn about in the A Level course. We also managed to get the LVI and UVI Form together to watch the University of Aberdeen’s Annual Microbiology Lecture in December. Prof Robin May, University of Birmingham, gave the boys a whistle-stop tour of humanity’s invisible microbial companions, which linked in to both years of the A Level course and expanded the boys’ knowledge and interest in microbes from around the world. In January, we ran our forensic DNA day with the UVI Form Biologists. They got to prepare samples of DNA and amplify them using our PCR machine, pour their own agarose gel to carry out gel electrophoresis and study the DNA profiles to determine who committed the crime. This brought a large part of their A Level course to life!

Our Science prefects have been fantastic all year in helping out with junior classes and gaining leadership skills themselves. This year, we have also started working closely with the DT and Electronics departments and we are looking to build on our STEM curriculum next year. We look forward to the addition of all the new equipment we have secured for next year and all the wonderful trips we are going to go on!

THE HYDRA – MERCHISTON’S ARTS MAGAZINE

The last edition of The Merchistonian, which covered the Covid-19 period of 2019-21, reported on the inaugural edition of The Hydra, Merchiston’s new Arts magazine. The second edition will be published shortly, and will include the best examples of boys’ poetry, prose and artwork from this academic year. When it is printed, with cover design by Kit N (UVI), it is hoped that the proceeds will go to Hopes and Homes for Children’s Ukraine Appeal. We are pleased to include three examples from The Hydra here, edited by Stephen Douglas, who edits the publication, written by boys at different stages of their “Merchiston journey”.

SACRIFICE

The tired chatter of youthful conversation ceased as the wooden doors of the Memorial Hall slammed shut. The hollow echo was immediately followed by the organ’s fulsome cascade. William raised his head to watch the Headmaster’s procession move down the aisle. At the front, the Chaplain walked purposefully with the Bible held closely to his chest, with the sombre figure of the Head following closely behind him. William felt a twinge of irritation at the morose atmosphere in the Hall, especially on what was to be their last day in the Castle before leaving for training camp in rural Perthshire.

Looking down the row, William tried to see if Fergus had made it on time. Fergus had missed the Housemaster’s rollcall earlier that morning and no-one had seen him at breakfast, but that wasn’t entirely unexpected. Just in time, Fergus appeared from nowhere and perched at the very end of the row. The boys shared a conspiratorial smile – a secret collusion William had cherished since First Form.

The Chaplain approached the lectern and the sunlight that had been pouring through the upper windows of the Hall suddenly diminished behind a cloak of grey clouds. Clearing his throat, the Chaplain led the congregation in prayer: “Dear Lord, may you protect these brave sons of Merchiston as they leave us tomorrow to fulfil their patriotic duty to defend our King and Country…”

The 15th Battalion, Royal Scots had already been dug in for six months when William Petrie took up his position as Lieutenant. For him, training camp was an eternity ago and the once youthful idealist no more bore resemblance to the battle-hardened veteran he felt he had become. With some thirty men under his command, William seldom had time to think of the old days in the Memorial Hall but as chance would have it, Fergus remained closely by his side.

The lack of sleep and the constant bombardment on the Somme in the lead up to the “big push” on 1 July was agonising for Fergus. Surely, this would be the breakthrough that would end the war, he had often tried to convince himself. The night before the offensive, William approached Fergus in the trenches. “We’re both on sentry duty tonight,” he said, before adding, “We can take it in turns to sleep.” Fergus’s eyes, dulled by exhaustion, briefly lit up with the prospect. The thundering cacophony of the bombardment had lasted days but that evening on 30 June, an eerie silence had descended on the trenches.

William looked out across the nightmare on no man’s land. The complex network of barbed wire and shell holes filled with grey stagnant water had an alluring yet sombre beauty. His only comfort was the fact that Fergus was fast asleep, his chest rising and falling peacefully under the gaze of the watchful moon.

Suddenly, the silence was broken with a crack and then a hiss from everywhere and nowhere. William could smell burning garlic as a thick yellow pall crept towards him from the direction of no man’s land. It was then that he felt the horrible burning sensation of mustard gas. Despite the searing hot pain in his eyes and throat, he reached for his whistle and blew as hard as he could. A single sharp note of alarm reverberated across the trenches.

Fergus sat bolt upright, his eyes open but unable to take in the chaos amidst the cloud of yellow smoke. Fumbling desperately about him for a gas mask, he realised that in spite of numerous warnings, he hadn’t seen his mask for days and in that hellish twilight, he knew this was the end and nothing and no one could save him.

37

In horror, William saw Fergus’s eyes frenzied with terror as he clutched at his throat for breath. The defeating silence of his own laboured breathing made it impossible to communicate but he tried to scream nonetheless, as if he could stop his friend from slipping into the abyss. Taking one final deep inhalation, William took off his own mask and placed it over the flailing head of his dying friend. With relief, the convulsive movements began slowly to subside. Fergus was safe from this nightmare for now.

The tired chatter of youthful conversation ceased just as the wooden doors of Memorial Hall slammed shut. The hollow echo was immediately followed by the organ’s fulsome cascade and the sound of steps from a procession making its way to the front of the Hall. William shuddered involuntarily but the hand on his arm soothed him. Fergus was by his side. Clearing his throat, the Chaplain opened with a Remembrance Day prayer. William listened but his milk-blue eyes stared blindly.

William A (V Form)

THE FISHERMAN

As he sat at the window looking out into the distant sea, all he could see was the rising and falling of the waves to the backdrop of the bleak winter sky. Then there were the gulls who followed the fishermen in their droves; huge flocks of screaming white gulls diving into the water to eat the fish. Owen looked down at his watch - he had to be back on deck now. One more gruelling shift before they would return to port, then he would be one step closer to leaving this life behind. He was ready to leave it all – his family, Ireland and fishing – all for one person. Her name was Grace. She was kind, open-hearted and beautiful. Owen didn’t mind that Grace was English, although he never fully understood why his family hated that so much.

He remembered growing up and how his family always seemed to be happy. There was Mother, Father and Timmy, his brother. They would play hide and seek with the other children in the village all day long. Then sooner or later it would be time for supper and Father would have to come to chase the children, gathering Owen and Timmy up and putting them on each of his hulking shoulders. That was a long time ago. Now Mother was drunk every night and most nights she would return from the pub barely able to walk. Timmy was still in school but spent barely any time at the house and Father was dead.

It was late in the evening when they returned to the harbour. Owen knew he would have to return to the decaying house to face his mother. She was always volatile. It didn’t matter what he said or did. At first, it was only when she was drunk but as time went on, it was getting harder and harder to tell if she was drunk or sober. Owen walked up the road to his house - the only noise he could hear was his own footsteps on the cobble road. As he entered the dark house, he looked around, familiarising himself with the interior. As he sat at the small kitchen table, he asked himself the question: “What’s the point in staying here?”. But he knew he would soon see Grace and that gave him hope.

As morning rose over the small town, Owen set off to the local church, not to pray or to be lectured to, but to meet Grace. It was the only place they could meet in private. The church was the biggest building in the town – it had a large oak door with large stained-glass windows that reflected the morning light onto the floor in a colourful mirage. In the glass was an image of Jesus guiding a boat to safety in a wild storm. Owen had seen similar storms to the one shown in the glass, although he had never needed Jesus to get through them. The pews led up to a big gold cross at the heart of the church. Grace was sitting in the front row and when Owen saw her, a sudden wave of delight washed over him. It had only been a week since he had last seen her but it felt like a lifetime. They greeted each other with a hug and then they sat for what seemed like only minutes. Grace talked and Owen listened, imagining what his new life was going to be like. Their plan was to move to a small village in the English Midlands, as far away as possible from the sea. There, Grace would work as a teacher and Owen would work at the local newsagents. As the day turned into night, Owen knew he would have to say goodbye, albeit in the knowledge that the next time they would meet would be at the port, waiting for their boat to freedom.

As Owen walked back home, the feeling of excitement was almost too much. He felt his legs get weak just thinking about what his future held. Then reality soon kicked back in when he saw the house. As soon as he entered, his mother started shouting at him, enquiring as to why he had been out so long and hadn’t done his chores. She had never approved of Grace. Her being English was probably the main reason but Owen also thought it was the fact that it meant he had finally grown up and moved on, replacing what was left of his love for his mother with someone else.

Owen only had one final trip out on the fishing boat. The only reason he was doing it was to ensure he had enough money to get to England. As the boat left the harbour early the next morning, he knew that when he returned home it would be for the last time. In five days, he would return and then he would be gone forever.

This feeling of joy carried him into the second day out at sea. The weather was horrendous, with gail force winds and heavy rain forecast for the whole trip, but Owen didn’t mind the weather because all he could focus on was embracing Grace when he returned to harbour, safe in the knowledge that they would be spending the rest of their lives together. What Owen wasn’t focusing on, however, was the small crane on the boat deck holding the bulk of the latest catch. Instead of pressing the button to bring the winch in, he accidentally pressed the button to release it. Owen instantly realised his mistake but by then it was too late. The massive weight of fish hit the water, forcing the boat to keel over to the right. Owen was thrown into the cold dark water below.

As Owen struggled to the surface, he realised that his leg was caught in the net. He tried desperately to fight himself free but the heaving dark mass below him was too heavy. In his final moments, a realisation came over Owen. He hated the sea. He hated his family. He hated Ireland.

James L (UVI)

THIS IS ME

My favourite sport is basketball, I train really hard, I give my all. Up and down, dribbling on the court, Basketball is a skilful sport.

History, DT, Art and RS Are the subjects I like the best, But Maths and Science make me bawl – I rarely hand in my prep at all!

I have two dogs, I live in Spain, I have two brothers, they are a pain! We love mountains, we love hiking, The views from the top are truly striking!

I love the buzz of video games, With lots of guns and tons of flames! Hiding and driving, buildings to climb, Video games aren’t a waste of time!

One day, I’ll be a diplomat, I’ll live with my dogs in a cosy flat. I’ll go surfing in the bright blue sea, And do what I like because this is me!