Week 8

VIRTUAL RADLEY

Making the Most of a C.R.I.S.I.S.

C Careers Exploration R Reading I Independent Research S Skills Acquisition I Issues of the Day S Service to the Community

Photo: Jasper Tomes, Remove, G Social

Activities – Week 8

In a crisis, we learn to adapt. To think differently. To see possibilities we did not previously envisage.

To appreciate others more ‐ and to see how variety is good. To realise there is always a lot more to learn. To become aware of our own creativity ‐ and our self‐imposed limitations. To recognise that necessity is indeed the mother of invention: the astonishing acceleration in vaccination science is but one obvious example.

Therefore, the academic aspect of the 'Making the Most of a CRISIS' programme for Virtual Radley 2 will involve all boys, managed by Form Masters, being expected to show evidence of personal progress in the following areas.

C

Careers Exploration

R

Reading

I

Independent Research

S

Skills Acquisition

I

Issues of the Day

S

Service to the Community

I encourage boys to embrace the opportunities on offer in this booklet.

Stephen Rathbone Academic Director

Community Action Projects and CCF On Wednesday Activities, talks will be recorded so that those involved in CCF (Removes and NCOs) and those involved in CAP (Fifths) can watch them in their own time. Additionally, Wednesday Activities talks will, after Leave Away, be partly geared towards the service element contained within CAP and CCF. CAP and CCF activities will be communicated internally.

Environment Week 'Virtual Exhibition'

This week Radley Environment Society is launching its Environment Week.

The aim of the week is to raise awareness of environmental issues through classroom and extra‐curricular activities.

The Society hopes that boys will be inspired to engage more with environmental issues at an individual and local scale.

On Monday and Friday at 15:40 14 boys will give talks on issues ranging from the dangers of industrial agriculture to environmentally friendly space travel.

These talks will be available to Radley boys and parents.

Please contact Lydia Robinson, Head of Geography, for the Zoom details of the talks you are interested in (lpr.robinson@radley.org.uk): Profiting from the Environment Environmental Politics War and the Environment Issues in Implementing Policy Plastics and the Great Blue Beer and Brewing – Environmental Impacts and Solutions The Dangers of Industrial Agriculture Behavioural Economics and Climate Change Returning to Your Roots Environmentally Friendly Space Travel Geothermal Energy to Power Forward Sustainable Alternatives to Food Built to Save The Essence of Life

Monday 1 March

The Radley Lecture

Issues

Graham Stewart, The Critic

The state of political and social debate in Britain Suitable for: all

Graham Stewart is Political Editor of The Critic and Senior Research Fellow in Twentieth‐Century British History at the Humanities Research Institute of Buckingham University. He is the author of six books.

His debut work, Burying Caesar: Churchill, Chamberlain and the Battle for the Tory Party (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1999) won international acclaim including the expectation from the Washington Post that it portended the “birth of a star.” Friendship & Betrayal: Ambition and the Limits of Loyalty (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2007) was described in The Spectator as pointing “tow ards a new way forward for political biography” and was nominated for the Orwell Prize.

He is also the author of the seventh volume of The Times’s official history, The Murdoch Years (HarperCollins, 2005). It greatly contributed to the debate about Rupert Murdoch’s role in the British media and was described by The Guardian’s editor, Alan Rusbridger, as “pulsing with journalistic flesh and blood.”

His other works are His Finest Hours: The War Speeches of Winston Churchill (Quercus, 2007), a two thousand year survey of primary source material in Britannia: 100 Documents That Shaped a Nation (Atlantic Books 2011) and Bang! A History of Britain in the 1980s (Atlantic Books 2013) which was lauded as “superb” (The Observer), “terrific” (Mail on Sunday), “definitive” (Management Today) and “sensationally good” (The Scotsman).

He was educated at the universities of St Andrews and Cambridge where he was awarded his PhD. After university, he worked for the politician and diarist, Alan Clark, and later for a private investment company in Singapore before moving to Yangon (Rangoon) to set up operations for Bell Pottinger. He was subsequently a partner at Klareco Communications, based in Singapore.

A former columnist for The Times, he has also been published in the Historical Journal, The Spectator, the Literary Review, the Sunday Telegraph and the Wall Street Journal.

Parents welcome Time: 20:00 Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85614565987?pwd=ckFETHRjT05hRG5hTHk4MjBjM0pvUT09 Meeting ID: 856 1456 5987 Passcode: 8h2Jay

Beyond Radley

Careers

A glimpse into the life of the Kalahari Dr Alex Thompson Suitable for: All Dr Thompson graduated with a BA Hons in Natural Sciences from Girton College, Cambridge, in 2007, then went on to work with the Kalahari Meerkat Project featured in the TV show Meerkat Manor. From there he undertook a PhD observing the behaviours of the Pied Babbler in the Kalahari. His work focussed on parental‐offspring and offspring‐offspring conflict in the species (very relevant for families in lockdown), along with contributing to numerous research papers into behavioural interactions within and between different Kalahari species. His PhD was awarded the Science Faculty PhD medal and the Joseph Arenow Prize from the University of Cape Town.

He will be giving a ‘Glimpse into the life of the Kalahari’, and illustrating the multitude of behavioural interactions between the different species, as well as talking about studying biology at university and beyond. A must for any keen animal biologist out there, or anyone looking to gain an insight into where studying biology can take you.

He is currently teaching at Whitgift School, in Croydon, and plays rugby for the SA Wilddogs.

Time: 13:00 Contact: WAJ.Jolly@radley.org.uk Limit on numbers: No limit Parents welcome Link to Teams meeting: https://bit.ly/3uuJ1sX

Beyond Radley

Careers

An investor, a banker, a trader, or a financial strategist – who do you want to be?

The world of finance is a big one and there are many careers you can travel into depending on the path you choose to take. To help you navigate this complicated arena we have lined up a panel of four financial professionals from the Radley community, each with their own area of expertise, to tell you about how their careers developed and what they have learnt along the way.

This talk will give you a broader perspective on some of the careers in finance, what it is like working in those areas, and explore the best routes to take to get into them.

Our panel of experts includes: 1

1. Anthony Cassidy – Presidio Consulting – Hedge fund expert and now trains graduates who have joined investment banks 2. Stephen Bamford – Managing Partner, TPG Capital – Private equity expert 3. Will Maydon – Director, Campion Capital – Asset Management expert 4. Nick Walford – Head of Strategy, Virgin Money UK – Corporate Development expert

Parents welcome Time: 16.00 Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/93756777900?pwd=SkIxK2hXOTQ5ZTZJUVhrbnlBc2FmZz09 Meeting ID: 937 5677 7900

Passcode: 1RC8Zd

Dr Sharon Dirckx: If God, Why Covid?

Issues

Dr Sharon Dirckx of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics will speak about the problem that evil poses to traditional Christian belief. The Covid‐19 pandemic can be seen to provoke individuals to question faith because a powerful and loving God would not allow such evil and suffering in the world. Dr Dirckx will be happy to answer questions on this topic of the philosophy of religion.

Dr Dirckx has a PH.D in brain imaging from the University of Cambridge and has held research positions at the University of Oxford and the Medical College of Wisconsin, USA. Her interests focus on the interaction of belief in God with science, and the problems of evil and suffering.

Parents welcome Time: 16:00 Limit on numbers: 100 Contact: btk.knowles@radley.org.uk Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84439933653?pwd=VjVheVJUQ2NWUTQ5SWZXRDlFakhWUT09 Meeting ID: 844 3993 3653 Passcode: hgVJ3w

LitSoc

Skills, Independent Research

Suitable for: Sixth Form Discussion, exploration, literary events and games Requirements: Teams Time: Mondays at 15:40 Contact: AFCN Limit on numbers: None Parents welcome Standalone or series: Series, each Monday

Curriculum Extension English Suitable for: Removes and Fifths Going beyond the English of the classroom.

Requirements: Teams, pen, paper Time: Mondays at 15:40 Contact: AFCN Limit on numbers: 20 Standalone or series: Series, each Monday

Skills

Baking

Skills

Suitable for: All We will be baking a different cake each week ranging from Brownies, to a Lemon Drizzle and Rocky Road Requirements: Kitchen, oven, ingredients (the recipe will be sent out a few days beforehand) Time: Mondays at 15:40 Contact: JDR Limit on numbers: No Parents welcome (but it will be aimed at the boys) Standalone or series: Every Monday, but can drop in and out, as new bake every week.

Chess Tournament

Skills

Suitable for: All boys. It doesn't matter how good you are at chess. All standards welcome.

The tournament will start at 16:00 and you will be automatically paired with another player from Radley. Matches will be fast ‐ 5 minutes + 3 seconds per move so around 15 minutes per match.

Once the match is over you will automatically be paired again for the next match. Players can join late and stay for as much of the hour as they want.

Requirements: You need to be a member of Radley College chess club on Lichess.org. Set up an account and then apply to join the club. You will need to email KAM with your Lichess username so that you are allowed to join.

Time: Mondays, 16:00‐17:00 Contact: KAM Limit on numbers: No limit Standalone or series: Series. Every Monday at 16:00

Easy on the ear, Shakespeare

Skills

Suitable for: Fifths If you've always felt a bit daunted by performing Shakespeare then this is your perfect chance to get comfortable with the Bard's words. You will explore the vocal performance aspects of a soliloquy/duologue, creating an audio recording of your speech. (So the pressure's off as you don't have to learn it!)

Requirements: Open to all abilities but great if you're considering Drama school as you'll need a classical audition piece.

Time: 15:40 Contact: VKB on Teams Limit on numbers: No limit Standalone or series: Series

Dog Tricks

Skills

Suitable for: anyone who'd like to teach their dog a new trick Bring your dog and some of their favourite treats, and you'll learn how to teach them something fun (or useful).

Requirements: A dog who's at least 6 months old, and whose owner has agreed for you to bring them to this activity.

Time: 15:40 Contact: akm.muhlberg@radley.org.uk Limit on numbers: No limit Parents welcome Standalone or series: Series

Tuesday 2 March

Natural Philosophy Society Lecture

Issues

Catastrophes and Catastrophism ‐ sudden events that have shaped the Earth Suitable for: all

'Catastrophism' ‐ the idea that natural disasters have had a significant influence in moulding the Earth's geological features ‐ was developed in the early 19th Century as a way of explaining fossils as a result of Noah's flood. This contrasted with the theory of 'Uniformitarianism' which argued that geological change was slow and gradual, and that the processes responsible could still be seen at work today. But the idea of natural catastrophes being a major factor was revived and given new respectability by the discovery of evidence of a gigantic asteroid impact 65 million years ago which is thought to have contributed to the extinction of the dinosaurs. Concerns about climate change and the rate of species decline have led many to believe that we are currently undergoing another 'mass extinction' episode.

Parents welcome

Limit on numbers: 100

Contact: cmb@radley.org.uk

Time: 17:30

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/74598908651?pwd=UnhSd2tjUmpqVjJLeGNZUXBaUzFuUT09

Meeting ID: 745 9890 8651

Passcode: UF8C9C

Sport: Workout 13 AMRAP Accumulator https://vimeo.com/515686118/6de38fe794

Suitable for: All years

Choose your level ‐ Gold, Silver or Bronze

Requirements: Small amount of space

Parents welcome

Animals Society

Skills

Suitable for: All Years

MGN will be in Biology with his iPad and the Animals Collection

Requirements: None ‐ just interest of the Attenborough sort

Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 13:30‐14:10 on the Animals Society Team

Contact: Ask MGN to join the Animals Soc Team if you're not already on it

Limit on numbers: No limit

Parents welcome

Standalone or series: Every Tues/Thurs throughout the term ‐ come to as many/few as you like.

Wednesday 3 March

Beyond Radley

Careers

An unconventional path into an unconventional career Theo Bromfield, Old Radleian (2007)

When Leaving Radley in 2012, Theo took an unconventional career path.

However, it was a path that led him to a job which he finds both hugely rewarding and fulfilling.

Theo currently works for an environmental charity managing a portfolio of 17 ground‐based wildlife conservation projects in Africa and Asia whilst also leading their policy work which focuses on influencing the international policy agenda on biological diversity and wildlife trade.

On leaving Radley, Theo decided not to go to university but to travel the world and work out what he wanted to do. This led him to a variety of jobs in a number of countries. However, in 2017, Theo embarked on a life changing trip where he cycled with three others from Johannesburg to Nairobi filming a documentary (https://www.cyclingforrangers.com/) on wildlife rangers and raising vital funds to support their work. The trip took five months and took the team through nine countries, eleven national parks, covered 5,000km and raised over £50,000.

On returning to the UK, Theo decided to dedicate his career to environmental protection and after working in the sector for two years, he realised the best way to do this was going to university. Eight years after leaving Radley, Theo enrolled in a part time postgraduate certificate in Climate Change and Development alongside his day job before enrolling in a full‐time master’s in environmental law (both of which he now holds).

Theo firmly believes you don’t have to do things in a certain order, and you should go to university after you have worked out what you want to do with your life. He will also talk about what it is like working in the middle of a global pandemic for a charity that invests in economically and socially vulnerable communities alongside his new policy focus on the intersections between wildlife trade and zoonotic diseases.

Presentation followed by Q&A session Parents welcome Time: 16:00 Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/98055888329?pwd=VHJ6bWVJbGhZckM3N2tkM3hyb3ZjQT09

Meeting ID: 980 5588 8329

Passcode: tJ7fun

Cooking

Skills

Suitable for: all This course will take a very practical approach to just making yourself some good food. The sessions nearer the start of term will be heavier on basic skills and the craft of being at home in the kitchen. The sessions later in the term may be a bit more ambitious. All sessions will aim to give you what you need to make a very decent meal ‐ immediately, or maybe to finish that evening.

Requirements: Access to a kitchen Time: Wednesdays at 15:40 Contact: jass.sheldrake@radley.org.uk Limits: There is no limit to the number of boys taking this course. Please email JASS to sign up.

Parents welcome Standalone or series: This is the seventh of a series of sessions.

Writing with Clarity

Skills

Suitable for: Shells, Removes, Fifths Sharpening written English to a fine point, for success at school and beyond.

Are you sick of reading ‘What do you mean?’ on your work? Are you a bit too familiar with the comma splice, the fused sentence and the fragment? Would you like to be a more effective writer? If the answers to these questions are ‘YES!’, ‘YES!’ and ‘Well, I suppose so…’, then look no further.

Join AFCN for a Writing with Clarity (WWC) workshop designed to sharpen your written English for exams and beyond.

Requirements: Teams Time: Wednesdays at 15:40 Contact: AFCN Limit on numbers: No limit Standalone or series: Series, each Wednesday

Science Experiments at Home

Skills

Suitable for: all Simple experiments that can be done at home using everyday materials to demonstrate celebrated scientific phenomena.

Requirements: Household items Time: 15:45 Contact: rdw.woodling@radley.org.uk Limit: This activity is limited to 20 places. Please email RDW to reserve a place.

Stand alone or series: Weekly

English at University Group

Skills

Suitable for: 6.1 boys interested in studying English beyond Radley Cutting an idiosyncratic path from Beowulf to Bukowski and beyond, this introduction to English at university gives you a taste of the sheer variety, richness, and downright strangeness English Literature can provide.

Requirements: Teams Time: 15:40 Contact: DJTS Limit on numbers: No limit Parents welcome Standalone or series: Series

Thursday 4 March

The Warden’s Chapel Talk The Warden will talk on an issue of the day as part of our live Chapel service. https://bit.ly/3bVbbXv Time: Thursday 17:15 Parents are also welcome

Sport: Workout 14 Split the Minute https://vimeo.com/515686463/5988a6bf3a

Suitable for: All years

Choose your level ‐ Gold, Silver or Bronze

Requirements: Small amount of space

Parents welcome

Issues

Animals Society

Skills

Suitable for: All Years

MGN will be in Biology with his iPad and the Animals Collection

Requirements: None ‐ just interest of the Attenborough sort

Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 13:30‐14:10 on the Animals Society Team

Contact: Ask MGN to join the Animals Soc Team if you're not already on it

Limit on numbers: No limit

Parents welcome

Standalone or series: Every Tues/Thurs throughout the term ‐ come to as many/few as you like.

Books & Biscuits with live baking: Cupcakes

Suitable for: anyone keen on books and cupcakes

We'll be making excellent cupcakes while chatting about even better books.

Requirements: access to a kitchen (list of ingredients and utensils sent out on Tuesday)

Time: 18:00‐19:00

Contact: akm.muhlberg@radley.org.uk

Limit on numbers: No limit

Parents welcome

Standalone or series: Standalone

Friday 5 March

Beyond Radley

Careers

From Dublin to Moscow and Oslo to Cape Town. No, not a career in the travel industry...a career pathway into property.

William Donaldson, Old Radleian (1993)

When people think of property they might think of residential or commercial agency. However property has a far greater breadth of interesting roles in the UK and internationally, including investment, valuation, surveying, construction, property management, tenant representation, strategic consulting, data analytics, sustainability and so much more.

Will Donaldson has over 15 years’ experience working in commercial property specialising in corporate real estate across Europe, Middle East and Africa, and now works for Amazon in their Global Real Estate & Facilities team.

He will talk about his career path, the choices he has made and why and how he came to work at Amazon. He will also outline other potential career paths in property and touch on some key issues the industry is facing right now.

Presentation followed by Q&A session Parents welcome Time: 16.00 Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/97840547358?pwd=RUNxTGRSUUlKQ3ZhZE1CL1BvQmFMUT09

Meeting ID: 978 4054 7358

Passcode: Y2sbbi

German Communication Games

Skills

Suitable for: Shells, Removes, Fifths Informal conversation and games with a native speaker to practise pronunciation, creative language use and spontaneous speaking skills.

Requirements: Present and past students of German Time: 15:40 to 16:10 Contact: OJA Limit on numbers: 10 Standalone or series: Series

Learn Portuguese

Skills

Suitable for: all An introduction to Brazilian Portuguese, focusing on key differences from Spanish, plus aspects of culture.

Time: Fridays at 15:40 Contact: mcfb.brown@radley.org.uk Limit: Please note that this activity is limited to 10 places. Please email MCFB to reserve a place.

Standalone or series: This is the sixth of a series of sessions. You will be expected to attend the whole course.

Cooking with Confidence Suitable for: all How to plan, prepare and produce three meals that will win you friends and admirers.

Requirements: Access to a kitchen Time: Fridays at 15:40 Contact: sb@radley.org.uk Limit: Please note that this activity is limited to 20 places.

Please email SB to reserve a place.

Standalone or series: This is the sixth of a series of sessions.

Skills

Yoga

Skills

Suitable for: all Leave all your preconceptions about what yoga is or whom it is for aside and try something new.

Top athletes, both male and female, practise yoga alongside their main sport as it is a fantastic way to tone and stretch your body and to relax your mind.

In times of uncertainty, giving your mind a break from academic work and potential stress is integral to taking care of your mental health.

The style of yoga will be Vinyasa always ending in a relaxing shavasana.

Please let me know of any pre‐existing injuries you may have.

Always listen to your body. Never stay in a pose if it causes pain!

Requirements: A mat of some sort or a rug/towel if you don't have one. All levels of experience welcome.

Time: Friday 15:40 Contact: ajd.davies@radley.org.uk Limit: There is no limit to the number of boys taking this course.

Standalone or series: This is the sixth of a series of sessions.

Monologue / Duologue Workshops Suitable for: Students who are preparing for auditions or building their repertoire Virtually rehearse speeches or source monologues/duologues, developing characterisation skills and knowledge of texts Requirements: Email VKB to be added to the workshop on 'Teams' Time: Fridays at 15:40 Contact: VKB Standalone or series: Weekly on Fridays

Skills

6.1 History Extension Programme Suitable for: 6.1 A‐level Historians Weekly extra‐curricular discussion for those considering studying History at university.

Requirements: Engage with circulated pre‐reading in advance of the meeting.

Time: Fridays at 16:00 Contact: TJD Limit on numbers: No limit Standalone or series: Fridays at 16:00

Skills

Saturday 6 March

Radley College Go Society Suitable for: All For those not familiar with the game, Go is an ancient oriental board game where players fight for territory on a 19 x 19 grid. The game hit headlines recently when programmers finally managed to create an algorithm that could beat the best human players. There's even a film about it for those that want some inspiration. online‐go.com contains a very good interactive guide to playing and www.cosumi.net/en/ is a good AI for practice. A more detailed description of how to play is given by the British Go Association.

Requirements: None. One of Go's best features is the handicapping system, which allows players of very different strengths to play a proper game, giving each player a 50:50 chance of winning.

Time: Saturdays at 10:00 Contact: Please email Dr Robinson (dir.robinson@radley.org.uk) to be added to the members‐only group on online‐go.com Limit on numbers: No limit Parents welcome Standalone or series: Series

Non‐Scheduled Resources and Activities

War Poetry

Reading

Suitable for: anyone Sharing and discussing favourite War Poems Requirements: an interest in War Poetry!

Time: to be confirmed by contacting IKC by email or on Teams Limit on numbers: no Parents welcome Standalone or series: series

Songwriting for Beginners

Suitable for: All Year Groups This short course will show you one approach to writing a song.

Requirements: You need an instrument to use to create the music.

Time: Accessible on Streams any time at these links: Part one: https://vimeo.com/503030119/f3ae4ad18a Part two: https://vimeo.com/503034245/60d0ac398e Part three: https://vimeo.com/503040353/49e6136281 Contact: ACW (acw.wiles@radley.org.uk) Limit on numbers: None Parents welcome Standalone or series: Series of three parts

Skills

Philosophy

Skills, Independent Research

Suitable for: the academically curious in any year Discussion of issues and figures in Philosophy Requirements: an interest in Philosophy Time: to be confirmed by contacting IKC by email or on Teams Limit on numbers: no Parents welcome Standalone or series: series

Greek Myth Workshop

Skills

Skills

Suitable for: All Re‐telling and stories (e.g. Theseus & the Minotaur) with primary school pupils Requirements: Teams (some DIY props might be needed!)

Time: to be confirmed by contacting MGGD Limit on numbers: 5 Standalone or series: Series

Photography Competition

As it’s Environment Week, our weekly theme will be Nature/The Environment

🌾🌿

Whether you live in the green mist of the countryside or in the violet neon glare of a metropolis, there are a thousand ways to explore this theme, and I am convinced you will be as creative as ever.

Please send your submissions to: ap.pancrazi@radley.org.uk Deadline: 6pm on Wednesday 3rd Ready, steady, go ‐ get creative!

Rock Soc

Skills

Suitable for: anyone Sharing favourite songs, and discussing rock in general Requirements: an interest in rock music Time: to be confirmed by contacting IKC by email or on Teams Limit on numbers: no Parents welcome Standalone or series: series

Using Strava to help your motivation (not just with fitness) Skills Suitable for: Any age and fitness An introduction to the functions on Strava that can help keep you motivated through, and out of, lockdown. It does not matter if you are very fit and want to maintain that, or are stuck on how to start your fitness journey.

Requirements: Screen to watch. Might be useful to have Strava app/website open on another machine/device.

Contact: pmf@radley.org.uk Limit on numbers: No limit Standalone or series: Standalone

V1‐1 Further Maths Project Prize

Independent Research

Suitable for: V1‐1 The best Universities are looking for the best students. These students will be clever. They will also be interested in their subject. Personal Statements for UCAS, and University interviews are a chance for these students to advertise what they have studied for themselves.

The competition is optional. Submissions will be externally assessed. The winner will be awarded the top academic prize for the year in Further Maths at prize‐giving on Gaudy. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday 20 April.

The guidelines are loose. Those who wish to enter should submit a piece of independent research on a mathematical topic of their choosing. Length is up to you. What matters is quality. If you need any advice, please speak to your dons.

In the past, topics have included: Fractals, The Golden Ratio, Fibonacci, Infinity, Rational / Irrational and Algebraic / Transcendental Numbers, Primes (Mersenne, Fermat), Ancient Number Systems, Infinite Sums which give pi, Trisecting the Angle, Julia and Mandelbrot Sets, Pick's Theorem, The four colour theorem, Relativity, Chaos, Partial Differentiation and 3 dimensional surfaces, Multiple Integrals, Group Theory, Applications of Baye's Theorem in Medicine, The Life of Newton, History of Maths, Harmonic Motion, Kepler's Laws and Planetary Motion, Financial Maths, Mathematical Logic and Truth Tables, The Mathematics of the High Jump, Mathematical considerations when setting a boat for the optimum outcome.

This list is not exhaustive. Choose your own topic. If you intend to apply for Maths at University, then find something that's clearly Mathsy. If you are going for Medicine, then there's lots of Maths (and Statistics) that is useful in Medicine. If you're looking at Engineering or Physics, then there is plenty of overlap between Maths and Physics, that involves modelling and solving real world problems.

Or do nothing at all. The choice is yours. But this is deemed a worthwhile activity for those of you who are serious about doing all you can to make a good impact with your University application.

Those of you who attended the Boys' Maths Society last term will be well aware what a strong candidate looks like.

Contact: any Maths don Limit on numbers: no limit Standalone or series: runs throughout the term and Easter holiday

Read Around the World Challenge

Reading

Suitable for: Radley boys and staff only Let's escape lockdown by reading our way around the world! The challenge is for Radley boys and staff to read a book from as many ‐ if not all ‐ the countries in the world!

You will find yourself globe‐trotting across landscapes of the imagination and you can follow your fellow travellers' journeys by charting their routes on our interactive World. https://radleycollege.sharepoint.com/sites/ReadAroundtheWorldChallenge

Limit on numbers: no limit Standalone or series: standalone

Open University courses which can be accessed at any time

Introduction by the Academic Director These online courses are all open to the public and rated at the ‘Introductory’ level. So no previous experience is needed. The Open University is a highly respected institution and we can be confident of the quality of these courses. We strongly suggest that everyone completes the Personal Finance course and at least another. Take care not to dismiss a course because, for example, it looks ‘Mathsy’ and you don’t feel you are good at Maths. The course Working with charts, graphs and tables is designed for such a person as you…

With every course, after completion, you get an Open University Certificate which you can mention in your university application (even if that is some way down the line and refer to in internship/job applications. You will able to mention the course(s) on LinkedIn etc.

You can work at them at your own pace. They are a very good thing to take on during lockdown ‐ and beyond.

NB. The introduction to each course is from the OU OpenLearn website and copyrighted to the OU.

1. Succeed with Learning

Skills

Suitable for: all Have you ever had any of the following thoughts?

What do I want to do with my life? How can I reach my goal? Would I cope with studying at college or university? Can I get better at learning? How can I manage the challenges that life keeps throwing my way?

If you are thinking about questions like these, Succeed with learning is just what you are looking for.

This course takes your life as its starting point, developing your awareness of just how much you have already learned and what you are capable of. It will suggest ways of 'fine‐tuning', and building on, the expertise you have developed in your life. You will also learn some interesting theories about how we learn, and some of the key skills and tools to make your learning a success.

Login: https://bit.ly/3sAQpCh

2. Personal Finance

Skills

Suitable for: all Managing your money really is a true skill for life. This free Open University course will give you the confidence and tools to be in control whether you are:  still studying at school or college  starting work or an apprenticeship  going to university.

Login: https://bit.ly/3sDfwEv

3. Digital Skills

Skills

Suitable for: all This free course, Digital skills: succeeding in a digital world, will develop your confidence and skills for life online, whether study, work or everyday life. It explores a range of digital skills and practices, including digital identity, digital well‐being, staying safe and legal, finding and using information and online tools, and dealing with information overload. The importance of developing a critical approach to life online is emphasised throughout, whether consuming or creating information. You'll be encouraged to reflect on your own situation and to apply what you learn to real‐life scenarios, using a digital skills plan to keep a record of progress.

Login: https://bit.ly/3nZ6cqS

4. Internet of Everything

Skills

Suitable for: all The internet of everything, and all of the connected things on the internet, are here to stay. There is considerable hype in the media – good and bad – that makes it difficult to work out if this connectedness is a good thing or a bad thing. Or, should we be indifferent about the internet of everything? What is clear from media coverage is that the internet of everything has already been associated with global security scares, while for many it is the cool technological must‐have.

So, what it is and why should I care?

You may not yet have a smart watch, an Amazon Echo or a refrigerator that has become hackable.

However, as we have seen the explosion of smartphones, video technologies and Pokemon, we are witnessing another technology that is set to become a part of everyday life for everyone.

Welcome to the free course Internet of everything. The internet of everything (IoE) is the networked connection of people, process, data and things. As more people, data and things come online, we need to develop skills and technological processes to harness the vast amounts of information being generated by all these connected people and things.

The goal of this course is to introduce you to fundamental concepts and technologies that enable the IoE and help you understand its benefits as well as potential risks. The course presents introductory material and is intended to be easily completed by anyone with a basic appreciation of computer technologies. By completing this course, you will not become an IoE expert, but you will become an informed individual.

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5. Preparing for your digital life in the 21st Century

Skills

Suitable for: all This free course, Preparing for your digital life in the 21st Century, provides a general overview of how digital technology has come to dominate virtually every aspect of the modern world and some guidance on how to prepare for this digital life. It also provides a more detailed explanation of the internal structure and workings of a typical computer.

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6. English: skills for learning Suitable for: all This course is for anybody who is thinking of studying for a university degree and would like to develop the English reading and writing skills needed to succeed. You'll be introduced to academic reading and effective note‐ making strategies. You'll develop your essay writing.

You'll look at academic style and vocabulary‐building strategies. You'll also enhance your understanding of sentence structure and punctuation. You will learn through a range of engaging activities aimed at extending your existing language skills.

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Skills

7. Communication Skills

Skills

Suitable for: all Communication is part of everyone's life. Being able to communicate clearly and effectively orally, visually and in writing underpins nearly everything we do. This free course, Key skill assessment: Communication, will help you recognise your strengths as well as the areas where you could improve. In developing and assessing your communication skills, you will learn to recognise, adapt and use your skills confidently and effectively in different situations and contexts.

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8. Talk the Talk: public speaking

Skills

Suitable for: all This hands‐on course will give you the skills and knowledge you need to create and deliver confident presentations and speeches. This free course introduces the mechanics of effective, persuasive oral presentations, by giving you the opportunity to analyse examples and then create your own. Using resources such as TED Talk videos, you will see how experts deliver professional talks and famous speeches, observe what works, and identify how language connects ideas and keeps a listener engaged.

You will find your own examples of impressive presentations, and you will work to create and practise your own talk.

At the end of the course you will have a powerful presentation you have created and can be proud of, which you can take away with you and present with confidence in your academic, professional or personal life.

This course is intended for those with an interest in presenting, creating presentations or improving their public speaking skills ‐ for school, work, or simply for fun ‐ and does not require any previous experience of studying this subject.

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9. Succeed in the workplace

Careers

Suitable for: all [Still relevant to all Radleians who want a job in the future…] Do you want to change jobs? Are you just starting in the job market? Are you returning to work after a break? If so, then this free course, Succeed in the workplace, is for you. It will help you explore career opportunities by starting from you, not the job ‐ getting to know yourself and what you value are the foundations of your career planning.

You will gain the skills to write strong CVs and application forms, and to handle different types of interviews. By the end of the course you will have made a start on your own realistic and robust action plan to enable you to find a job that will fulfil your aspirations and suit your lifestyle.

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10. Internships and other work experiences

Careers

Suitable for: all Are you looking to develop your career by undertaking an internship or other work experience opportunity? Perhaps you are already doing one and would like support in getting the best out of it?

You might even be further along in your career and looking for ways to gain the experience that will help you to change direction.

In the working world, it’s no secret that an internship can provide valuable experience, enhance your career development and increase your chances of securing the job you really want. But what actually is an internship? If it isn’t called an ‘internship’ does it have less credibility? Are all internships or work experiences going to give you the knowledge and skills that you need?

If you want to learn more about internships and the other work experience options available, and explore how you can obtain and maximise the right opportunities to support your chosen career, then this free course Internships and other work experiences will help you Login: https://bit.ly/3sGFxmC

11. Using Volunteering to get ahead in the job market

Careers

Suitable for: all This free course, Using voluntary work to get ahead in the job market, explores how engaging in voluntary work can enhance your employment opportunities.

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12. How to be a critical reader Suitable for: all In this free course you will focus on how to be a critical reader. Reading critically is an essential skill at university. It means being aware of your own purposes and opinions as you read and being able to recognise the writer's purposes and opinions in their writing.

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Skills

13. Personal Branding for Career Success:

Careers

Suitable for: all The way you present yourself to your employers, both current and future, plays a crucial part in career success and satisfaction. If you get it right, it can enhance your profile at work, helping you to win interesting projects, promotions and the respect of your colleagues. It will also increase your chances of being the successful candidate at job interviews or attracting clients to your business if you’re self‐ employed.

Personal branding is a popular theme for online blog posts and articles. Individuals are encouraged to use tried and tested marketing techniques to promote themselves effectively to the world.

However, care must be taken to ensure that the process doesn’t go too far, ending with you presenting yourself in an overly polished, corporate way that doesn’t truly represent what you have to offer.

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14. Retail Marketing

Careers

Suitable for: all This free course, Retail marketing, explores how retailers use marketing to communicate with their customers, considering definitions of retailing and consumers, the basics of communications, before moving on to look at different forms of marketing communications and advertising used by retailers.

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15. An introduction to cybersecurity

Skills

Suitable for: all Our lives depend on online services. Gain essential cyber security knowledge and skills, to help protect your digital life.

We shop online. We work online. We play online. We live online.

As our lives increasingly depend on digital services, the need to protect our information from being maliciously disrupted or misused is really important.

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16. An introduction to data and information Suitable for: all Ever wondered how a computer processes data into information? This free course, an introduction to data and information, will help you to understand the distinction between the two and examines how a computer‐based society impacts on daily life. You will learn what computers can do with data to produce information and how computers can be used to work with data and search for it, control machines, and support commercial operations.

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Skills

17. Working with charts, graphs and tables

Skills

Suitable for: all When you come across information represented in charts, graphs and tables, you'll need to know how to interpret this information. This free course, Working with charts, graphs and tables, will help you to develop the skills you need to do this.

For further study, there's another course titled 'More working with charts, graphs and tables' which looks into more ways to present statistical information and shows you how to use charts, graphs and tables to present your own information.

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18. People‐centred design Suitable for: all Designed products surround us all and range from bus tickets to buildings. This free course, People‐centred designing, focuses firmly on usability and the increasingly important phenomenon of people‐centred design. It aims to inform consumers of design (i.e., all of us) about this crucial characteristic of design. In addition to stimulating interest in areas of concern for producers of design, the course might also provide an introduction to engineering, manufacturing and business studies Login: https://bit.ly/3bS19GD

Skills

19. Start Writing Fiction

Skills

Suitable for: all Have you always wanted to write, but never quite had the courage to start? This free course, Start writing fiction, will give you an insight into how authors create their characters and settings. You will also get to understand different genres of fiction.

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20. Smart Cities

Skills

Suitable for: all Explore the role of technology and data in cities, and learn how you can participate in the creation of smart cities.

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21. Eating to win: activity, diet and weight control

Skills

Suitable for: all What should we eat before and after exercise? This free course, Eating to win: activity, diet and weight control, examines the importance of nutrition in physical activity, sport and weight management. The role that physical activity has alongside nutrition in controlling body weight will be discussed, as will considerations for pre‐exercise and post‐exercise nutrition and hydration Login: https://bit.ly/2M7IDPm

22. Leadership and Followership

Careers

Suitable for: all Leaders are all around us – we encounter them at work and in our spare time, we read about them in the press – but have you ever wondered what makes them good or bad at their role? You might be considering a leadership role as your next career step, or maybe you’re in a leadership position already and finding it difficult to move your team forward. If you’re interested in finding out more about leadership, from the perspective of a leader or a follower, then this free course, Leadership and Followership will help you. Working through this course will help you to explore what makes a good leader, recognise common leadership challenges, and identify the skills you need to develop if you want to enhance your own leadership experience.

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Making the Most of a C.R.I.S.I.S. In addition to the above, please aim to make progress in the other sections of our theme 'Making the Most of a CRISIS'.

C: Career Exploration Introducing boys to the world of work as early as possible can help them to better understand the plethora of careers available to them and potentially inspire them to start exploring the pathway to a specific career. Building on the success of the career talks run during Virtual Radley 1, the Radleian Society and Radley Careers department will arrange a series of events, including talks, panels, debates and networking opportunities, to be held during activities time.

The support of the Radley Community is vital in helping us to tap into a ‘live view’ of the fast changing workplace today, and we will build our programme from the experience and expertise of Old Radleians and Radley parents at all ages and stages in their careers.

Broad themes will be: 1. Early career exploration ‐ exposure to a wide variety of careers across industries to help boys broaden their horizons beyond A‐levels and university.

2. Building your personal brand – helping boys to understand how to present themselves in the business world, online and offline. Also exploring entrepreneurism and active career management.

3. Lifelong learning in your career – a focus on the transferable skills needed in the workplace to succeed in a world where boys are now expected to change career frequently.

4. Social responsibility in your career – behaving ethically and morally in your career and business choices and understanding of the value of ‘giving back’.

Parents, please do get in touch with Caroline Monaghan, Radleian Society Manager if you have a career or business skill you are happy to talk to the boys about at radsoc@radley.org.uk.

R: Reading (including podcasts and audiobooks) Here is a link to the library reading list/challenges/activities https://bit.ly/2M5Kswe and here is one to the general podcast list https://bit.ly/3irgoaF and many will find the range of options useful. Boys can leap from one theme to another or specialise. What is most important is that they immerse themselves in something beyond standard curriculum learning. However, we will also send specific recommendations week by week to allow for discussion within and across forms and year groups. Within Forms, we will encourage a reading challenge initiative and boys will be expected to give a five minute talk towards the end of term on what they have read.

I: Independent Research In both Lower School and the Sixth Form, writing and research projects will be encouraged by academic departments, the Head of Junior Scholars and the Academic Director. This worked very well during Virtual Radley, as many of you will recall. One ongoing example is the submission of articles to the boy‐led magazine Serpentes, which is edited by the Academic Prefects. Cash prizes may help with creativity! There will be a stress on both individual and collaborative research projects and challenges. I would stress that practical projects and research/problem‐solving challenges are just as important as ‘paper’ ones.

S: Skill Acquisition There will be a major focus on communications and presentation skills. The annual Declamations competition will therefore run as usual this term. This presents a great opportunity for every boy to memorise and perform a piece in front of his form mates and hopefully move on to the Semi‐Finals and possibly the Final. The Careers talks (see above) will obviously contain a lot of relevant material too for skill acquisition. The Director of Digital Strategy and Head of Computer Science will be providing introductions to coding and other IT courses which will be of help to all year groups and levels of ability. We shall also repeat (but with a greater number of chefs!) the hugely popular online cooking option. Additionally, we will provide a list of ten high‐quality (free) external courses, covering a range of key skills that we would encourage boys to access and complete.

Finally, we strongly recommend that boys listen to Radio 4’s More or Less programme https://bbc.in/38YdGWV which, as many of you already know, helps people develop Critical Thinking skills for navigating a confusing and confused world.

I: Issues of the Day The Academic Director has already organised a variety of interesting speakers for this term’s lecture series, as can be seen from the Calendar. Yet, given the circumstances, we shall expand it even further. Parents are very welcome to attend! These talks will generally be at 8pm and we shall send details before each one as a reminder. Contentious topic areas and the advance of science and technology are among the key themes. The Academic Director will, where appropriate, send boys and parents an Issue of the Week briefing for the upcoming lectures to whet appetites and contextualise the talk. Additionally, the Warden will continue to give his news‐themed Thursday evening Chapel Address.

S: Service to the Community The Director of Partnerships is working with me on ensuring that Radley boys and staff can assist the wider educational community and other organisations during lockdown. The talks mentioned above will in most cases be shared appropriately with partner schools, either in recorded form or live. We already have a large number of boys assisting pupils in the state sector with a Maths tuition and revision programme. We are developing a range of safe opportunities for boys to make a really effective contribution to wider society now and beyond the pandemic. Each boy will be expected to show that they have participated in something that has a service element during this period.