The Focus- Issue 1

THE

FOCUS

A READING SCHOOL MAGAZINE

EDITED BY SUYASH S. 1

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ISSUE 1 31.01.20


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CONTENTS HEADMASTER’S WORDS

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SCHOOL CAPTAIN

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THE HOUSES

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A DECADE OF DECADENCE

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SOCIETY: DEBATING

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SOCIETY: CHARITY

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SOCIETY: HISTORY CLUB

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SCHOOL TRIPS

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“THE HUNT FOR TRAITORS AND THE FALL OF THE HAPSBURG EMPIRE.” 28 PROCRASTINATION

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‘THROUGH THE AGES…’

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ENVIRONMENT: TAKE A STAND

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THE ECONOMICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

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CORONAVIRUS

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COUNCIL CORNER

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A WAR OF TWO SUPERPOWERS

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PUZZLE SOCIETY: SUDOKU

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Dear Reader, We remain shackled to the burden of time and try as we may, we cannot escape the ravaging maw of death, devourer of all. It is our mortality, combined with our inherent ability to feel, to empathise and to rationalise, that defines our humanity.

Selfishness and Selflessness. Arrogance and Humility. Love and Hate. Two sides of the same coin. The two sides of man. Our worlds are full of both personal and interpersonal conflict. We war against our darker sides, to bring out the best in us. We war against our ensuing emotions to heal ourselves and others. As people, we form relationships and friendships which can span our lives, or else rise and fall like the empires of history. No one is immune from the test that is life. Except for our words.

Words remain unshackled from the test of time. Unshackled from the ever-vigilant reaper. Our words outlast all and establish a legacy of what once was, and what may still be. They translate across the ages the universal constants that are love, knowledge and wisdom. And this is the very motivator of all budding writers and authors - to leave behind an impression on the fabric of time.

It is for this very reason that I sought to get this project underway. I invite you to enjoy the contributions made by teachers, the Heads of Houses, the student leadership team and of course, students.

As a parting message, I would like to leave you with the words of Shakespeare: “When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st: so long as men can breathe or eyes can see, so long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”

Best wishes, The Editor 5

HEADMASTER’S WORDS Reading School was founded in 1125, centuries before the printing press let alone the computer. The printed word is important.

Reading and literacy have always been significant for students here. Indeed, I would contend that the need for clear and valued communication has never been greater in order for our students to flourish.

The values at the heart of our holistic approach referred to as the ‘Reading Way’ or Via Redingensis, namely excellence, integrity, leadership and community are evident in this publication, the first edition of the student-led school magazine. For instance, we strive to nurture men of excellence who aim high, develop their ambitions and strive to achieve the best they can whilst ensuring that their feet remain firmly on the ground. Reading School’s journalists and writers should be encouraged to be creative, adaptable and seek to deliver a sustained high performance over time. I hope that this publication is the first in a series of highquality publications. It is my wish that budding writers are encouraged to hold themselves to account and to seek the fulfilment of their potential for the benefit of others, as well as themselves.

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Regarding integrity, we fully support any initiative that helps to build good men of principle and seek to positively align actions with words. This publication can be viewed as an exemplar of leadership where student collaboration is utilised for the common good. The editor and the writers have undoubtedly demonstrated a spirit of commitment and a clear sense of purpose. It exhibits features of an approach which appreciates the opportunities offered to students and the importance of encouraging involvement in the culturally rich life of Reading School. The enrichment opportunities offered and the importance of encouraging human flourishing are given their due emphasis.

Clearly, this publication can be viewed as part of our collective approach as a community to reinforce a positive culture of belonging. It provides opportunities for members of the Reading School family to cultivate and enhance an outlook which allows us to strengthen our communities. The sharing of our positive narrative emphasises how our current students add to our distinguished history.

Our emphasis on academic excellence is exemplified through the Sunday Times Parent Power ‘State Secondary for South East England 2020.’ Whilst our passion for ‘Building Good Men’ is evident in not only this publication, but also our: Floreat programme, the House system, Future Stories initiative and the innovative Power to the 9’s programme. This is also supported by the excellent House system and our support for educational visits.

We must build on the foundation of those giants who have gone before us, and take up the mantle to ensure that the richness of the education offered remains of the highest quality. Perhaps there are no better examples that the student-led charity committees. This vitality and vibrancy, also illustrated by this publication, ensure that our students flourish. The 150th anniversary of the founding of the school on the Erleigh Road site, is a catalyst for this positive literary production that promotes student partnerships. I hope that the readers appreciate the importance of a narrative which seeks to build the community, rather than hindering its growth.

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SCHOOL CAPTAIN HUGO ROMPANI

So much has been accomplished by the prefect team. A notable progression is the new house charity competition, championed by Ben Coneybeare, the charity prefect, which has raised over £2500 since it started in the Michaelmas term! If I have learned one thing about Reading School boys during my time here, it is that we love competition; so why not use it to raise money? Shaan Mohan, the wellbeing prefect, has worked towards helping students deal with their mental health, organising the very successful Tea & Talk event.

The student council has also seen a revitalisation under the able leadership of Theo Sharkey, the student voice prefect. From sitting in, one is very much reminded of the beauties and horrors of a democratic system! The work

The refounding of Reading School’s student magazine is something that fills me with pride. As School Captain, it is not surprising for me to see fellow Reading School boys making an effort to enrich our student lives. It is one of the things that makes Reading School special; the important role that the boys play in the running and organisation of the school. The work done to establish this newspaper reminds me of the dedication the prefect team has shown in the running of the school this year.

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done by Mithesh Duddekunta in organising the attendance duty rota must also be noted.

Every time a prefect interrupts your lesson to ask for someone who is missing the lesson because of a cancelled train or because they went to a music lesson and forgot to email the teacher, remember Mithesh.

These are some of the highlights of what has been a very successful period thus far for the prefect team.

courage to write an article for a school-wide magazine, it also takes a lot of courage to speak in front of an audience. Even after all the practise I have had in the debating society and in House Eisteddfod competitions over the years, I still get butterflies every time I am due to speak. However, the rush of adrenaline one feels upon completing a speech is almost addictive. The same can be said for completing an article and seeing it published. So, with this resurgence of the school magazine, I urge any student reading this to contact Suyash and to offer a piece of work for the next edition. Believe me, opportunities like this are worth it.

Much as a newspaper needs an editor, a prefect team needs a leader, or in our case, five leaders. Those leaders are my four Vice-Captains and I. Being in the captaincy team is a very rewarding job. This year we have worked tirelessly behind the scenes, organising open days, allocating roles for the entrance exam (not a small feat!) and attending countless meetings and events. A highlight for me was the ORA annual dinner in Big School. It is not one to miss, for any future School and ViceCaptains.

As it nears the last quarter of my time as School Captain, and the last few months of my seven years at the school, I increasingly find myself looking back at my time here. From doing so, it has become very clear that when an opportunity presents itself, it is always the best course of action to take it.

Just like how the boy involved with the creation of this paper saw an opportunity and took it.

Something I have also relished as School Captain is the public speaking aspect of it. In the same way it takes a lot of 9

THE HOUSES EASTMrs Williams, Head of East House East house started this academic year in high spirits. In September we welcomed our new Year 7s who have settled in very well and are taking part in house competitions and a variety of clubs - they are also enjoying games of manhunt around the school site! Our new Year 12 students have also started to feel at home in East House and many of them are already getting stuck into house competitions. Our prefects led by Liam Ball, Muhammed El-Beik and Alex Sutton have provided great leadership, and Easties have proudly represented the house in table tennis, art, Ghost and rugby. The highlight of the year so far has been East House winning House Music, under the leadership of Tom Clennell - we did very well not only in our solo performances but also with our team performances. We are all looking forward to the new challenges that 2020 will bring - especially House Eisteddfod.

Liam Ball, East House Captain East House has ended the decade as we mean to start the next. We performed very strongly in every house event this year, with the pinnacle of our success being the House Music win. With the help of vice-captains Muhammed El-Beik and Alex Sutton, and of course our Head of House Mrs Williams, we have built a strong foundation on which we can improve upon in the new year. Our aim, as always, is to win the House Cup. While this won’t be an 10

easy task, East House has more drive and competitive spirit now than ever before. We will continue to work towards our goals and give everyone in East House a reason to be proud.

WESTMr Sanchez, Head of West House 2019 has been a year of personal and professional challenges. It has put me on the spot as Head of West House and East Wing Housemaster, and these opportunities have provided such good moments that I can’t pick just one, but if I need to choose something positive from 2019, relationship is the first word that comes to my mind. I truly believe that West House has worked so hard over the year gone, despite results, and individual competitions have allowed it to prove itself and show that our community is slowly growing, together with the strong leadership of the prefect team Led by John Wellman and Aryan Dixit. 2019 has been enjoyable and I am sure 2020 will bring more opportunities for the school community to flourish and make a positive impact on all of us.

John Wellman, West House Captain As West House Captain, I have to work very closely with Mr Sanchez and the West Prefect Team, with the main aim of garnering success in West House and overseeing the events that occur. We set specific targets at the start of the year on what we would like to achieve at the end of the academic year. Some of these aims included increased participation in House events, improved integration between senior and junior students and a 11

general improvement in camaraderie within all aspects of house life. I am very proud of the commitment that West House has shown so far this year, towards the goals we set. Firstly, the house’s attitudes and commitments to House Music were fantastic throughout and we should be extremely proud of a deserved 2nd place finish. West is not the only house that has aimed for an improved integration between Senior and Junior students, as it is a whole school initiative this year. However, I do think we have especially prevailed in this area. There is certainly a growing relationship between different age groups in the house and I hope next year’s prefects will keep this amongst their priorities. With House Eisteddfod still to come in February, there are still many great opportunities for us to climb up the house rankings, and I am excited to see what we have to offer in these competitions. At the end of this year, the prefect team and I will be passing on our roles to the current Year 12s. I have no doubts that next year will be an even more successful year for West House, especially considering the unbelievable commitment and help we have had from a number of them this year.

SCHOOLMr Allen, Head of School House The School house motto and logo was created by Merlin Dilligham several years ago. Striving, Believing, Achieving sums up the philosophy, attitude and approach of School house students to competitions and everyday life. We just want to push ourselves to do our best without comparing ourselves to others and we will be successful. We will also congratulate all the other houses when they are successful and are proud of our performances. In school house assemblies we often discuss mental health and how there will be tough times in life. I would love an 12

environment where all students feel they have someone they feel they can talk to about anything they are struggling with. This is something we will continue to push for. I often say that the most important thing for talented academic students is that they are genuinely good young men. It may take some longer than others to get there but we have to believe we will all get there in the end. I could not be more proud of Alex Shandling as house captain and all the prefects who have supported our progress this year. We will continue to strive, believe and achieve.

LAUDMr Gunson Along with the 4 Pillars of Reading School: Community, Excellence, Integrity and Leadership, Laud House has chosen to focus on the exhibition of characteristics such as Respect, Resilience and Pride.

All the students and staff that are part of Laud House appreciate that we are not the finished article so we see each new day at school as a chance to improve ourselves academically and, most importantly, as human beings.

The Students in Laud House know that growth in your resilience can only really come from being encountered with challenges and using a number of different strategies to overcome these problems.

At Reading School, students are faced with many challenges every day from tests and exams, to the complex social interactions introduced by Floreat and PSHE. Therefore I believe the staff would be doing the students a disservice if we didn’t provide a plethora of framework and scaffolding to help students become more resilient. Our very own 9L are a great example of students

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who have embraced the challenges of school life and have therefore grown their resilience and coping mechanisms.

Laud House is the youngest House in the School and due to this, can sometimes be limited in terms of contributing points to the House competition. However, what our House lacks in numbers we make up for in Pride. In every House competition, Laud House attempts to bring as much enthusiasm as possible. 10L and 8L are great examples of this as they may not always be the most skilled in certain events but are regularly praised for their determination and commitment.

Finally and most importantly, the students in Laud House strive to be respectful members of Reading School and of the wider community outside our gates. One way that our Students have shown their commitment and respect of the school and wider community is by getting involved with a number of different fundraising activities for charity. The House has supported Great Ormond Street Hospital, The Royal Berkshire Hospital and Sure24.

Students in Laud House know that in order to evolve and grow into positive members of society, you need to be able to respect yourself and others. We at Laud House also know that everyone isn’t perfect and there will be bumps along the road, but it is how you respond to these events that makes you who you are.

Joel Baby, Head of Laud House Laud House, the seeming underdog intuition in the eyes of many, is an exemplary representation of the critical values held up high within Reading School. Amongst our many hopes, our current aim is to rise up to the level of the other houses and to be championed as a respected house in due course. There is a potent willpower within the minds of our cohort, an irrational drive to succeed, and to exceed the expectations of others. With time, I hope the formidability of our House will grow and form a cornerstone of Reading School, that will see generations of individuals showing excellent attainment through their time and commitment as proud Laud House members. On behalf of myself and all the other leaders within Laud House, I hope all our boys can be unified in their 14

endeavours to bring great successes for our House, to model the commitment and virtue modelled by our own William Laud and finally ensure we are committed to these values in a time filled with uncertainty and unease.

COUNTYCurrently in 1st place.

House Ghost

House Music

House Table Tennis

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House Rugby- Seniors

A DECADE OF DECADENCE MR BALDOCK

I’m an English teacher so I’ll start this, pretentiously, with a bit of Shakespeare: “nothing against Time's scythe can make defence”.

Whatever that means. I think you can probably assume it’s something to do with old people feeling glum about how quickly life zooms by.

Ten years may seem like a long time to a Reading School student, which is not particularly surprising seeing as though in 2010 many of you were still chewing rusks, enjoying the exploits of Dora the Explorer, or crying about Angry Birds. But, to some of the teaching and associate staff here, a decade has passed in merely a moment.

What can I remember about Reading School in January 2010?

For starters there was no Refectory, so any boy who wanted to buy (vaguely) hot (vaguely) food during lunch time had to run the gauntlet of the dreaded “tuck shop queue”. This was a daily Game 16

Of Thrones-esque scrap in the claustrophobic alleyway round the back of East Wing which saw tiny Year 7s mercilessly pummelled by lanky sixth formers in a seismic struggle for slices of pizza.

Scientists studied this scenario in detail and were able to confirm that Darwin’s theories were still very much in evidence in 2010.

Despite my own undeniably immense physical and moral authority, even I found myself once or twice being overwhelmed by a sea of A Level Maths students, crazed by a surfeit of Swizzels Refreshers, as I vainly tried to keep order and remain theoretically ‘in charge of the queue’. A pathetic sight.

In the English classroom, GCSE students would have been right in the thick of producing their coursework. Can you believe it, Class of 2020? Ten years ago, 40% of both the Literature and Language grades came courtesy of essays written at school over the period of many weeks with plenty of drafts to check how good they were looking? It’s so unfair! The essays also had to be written by hand, which was great news for me and my colleagues because that process ate up hours and hours of lesson time; while the poor students were slavishly scratching out their miserable efforts, we could swing back on our chairs, smoke pipes, sip whiskey, stroke our chins and stare meaningfully out of the window thinking about important things. That kind of stuff was permissible in 2010.

There are, however, many aspects of Reading School life which have remained reassuringly constant over the past decade. The students in our classrooms were just as motivated and intellectually curious and engaged in learning as you are today; the teaching staff was just as expert and enthusiastic and caring as it is today; the red kites and gulls were just as keen on screeching maniacally and pecking lumps out of each other and menacingly patrolling the skies above our heads as they are today. Just as they will be in spring 2020, back in 2010 the BBC Young Reporters were roving the campus; the Eisteddfod choral practices were packing out every lunch-break classroom; the displays and events going on in the LRC were inspiring the creativity of bookworms and textual agnostics alike.

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So, back to Bill The Bard: “Pleasure and action make the hours seem short”, and these past ten years have indeed flown past.

I’m sure that when I’m writing this same article in January 2030 and today seems to me as if it were only yesterday, we will all be living in space capsules, using personal jet packs, and experiencing human interaction via VR-enhanced brain-implants which provide a continuous TikTok feed of K-Pop lip-sync content.

Or we’ll be doing the bidding of our red kite and gull overlords.

But on any given day I will still be wearing a pair of socks or a jumper or a tie that I was wearing in 2010 and telling off someone in my tutor group for not tucking in their shirt.

“Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose,” as Macbeth once said.

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SOCIETY: DEBATING PAUL S. skilled statesmen of the future, with few outlets to demonstrate their command of the spoken word. A laborious existence lay ahead, a dull school made that much more drab for the want of gavels crashing and of polemicists abusing the English language to gain that ever-important swing.

Fortunately, salvation lay just on the horizon. With the memory of the better days moving their hands, Hugo Rompani and Benedict Coneybeare refounded the once-great institution, to great effect. The first debate of the new age took place on the 20th of November 2018, and had the motion: This House Would Abolish Grammar Schools.�

Quickly gaining traction and attendance, the debates began to cover diverse topics such as Brexit, the death penalty, and drugs. The more prolific speakers of this first term

The debating society can consider itself to be one of the most prolific student-run groups in the school. With a prestigious history dating back to 1879, the society is as strong as ever, continuing to develop talented public speakers and to put on diverting and relevant debates.

After the society folded in 2015, the future looked uneasy for the wave of driven and 19

included the formidable Josh Wallace, the stalwart Tomi Amole and, of course, the two princeps, Hugo and Ben.

achievement worthy of such a gifted individual.

Despite fears that this run of immeasurable prosperity could not carry on into the new year, the dedication of the committee allowed debating society to maintain its lofty standards. Ed Bruun, Aditya Krishna, Ralph Philips and Paul Saunders took over the reins, with the latter individual becoming the President. More people than ever are flocking to speak in the hallowed hall of the Lecture Theatre, whose walls are elevated in splendour by the more than 30 students who have captured the audience with their words.

So brightly did the rekindled flame burn that mere months after the first debate, Rev. C. Evans passionately defended compulsory chapel in a debate for the history books, convincing 30 of the approximately 130 students in attendance of the importance of chapel services. Although to date Dr Evans is the only teacher to have taken part in a debate, it is understood that this will not be the case for long.

The reputation, respect and reliability that previous attempts had lacked were clearly in place. Debating society once again stood as a pillar of the school. A link was made with Queen Annes’, a school with whom inter-school debates still take place. A group of elite members even took their skills to the World International Debating and Public Speaking Competition in Toronto. Aleks Sekulic finished in 3rd place for impromptu speeches, an absolutely incredible

Ben Coneybeare debating.

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The only evaluation of the debating society can be this: unequivocal and unrestrained success. Once again the Lecture Theatre were filled to capacity, this time for the general election debate, where Hugo Rompani reminded the future electorate of his ability to ensnare the mind with facts and logic while representing the Liberal Democrats. Preeminent above all competition stands the debating society, and long may it remain there, bathed in the light of success!

The future is an exciting

frontier for the debating society to breach, but certainly one it is ready for. Should you wish to take part in a debate and are in Year 10 or above, do not hesitate to email Paul Saunders so that you may join the ranks of excellency and indelibly mark history with your name.

Otherwise, turn up on Tuesday lunchtimes in order to witness intense vocal duels and pitched intellectual struggles; with the direction the debating society is heading in, you’d be a fool not to. 

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SOCIETY: CHARITY JOHN S.

moved to year 4, where we had fun helping out with numeracy and science – leading a stretch and challenge group on fractions, helping the class to make their own analogue clock faces from a paper plate, strips of card and a paper fastener, and working with the children to interpret their results from a science experiment on evaporation rates. This term, we will be splitting our time between year 2 and year 6, giving us the chance to help out with children across a wide range of ages. Our thanks go to all the staff at Redlands for accommodating us, to Mrs Hickman for providing us with the opportunity to volunteer and for coordinating the Future Stories program, and to all the children at Redlands for being such eager learners!

Since September, myself and five other year twelves have been volunteering weekly at Redlands Primary School, as part of Reading School’s Future Stories program. We started off in the Year 2 classroom, where the theme for the half-term was ‘pirates’ – we enjoyed helping out with the literacy sessions by leading guided reading, working one-to-one with students who needed more help with their writing tasks, and supervising group work to introduce the children to new grammar points such as contractions and using the apostrophe. After half term, we 22

Boarding Charity: After a mammoth year of fundraising last year which took us up some of the UK’s highest peaks with The National Three Peaks Challenge, the Boarding Charity Committee is back, with lots in store for the coming year. The charities we have chosen to support this year are: Sure24 (a school and orphanage for children living in poverty in Nakuru, Kenya), The Climate Coalition (the country’s largest body driving for action on climate change, representing 130 organisations across the UK) and The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (a conservation charity committed to protecting wildlife from the threats it faces in the local area).

2020, we will be hosting a quiz night and fish and chip supper in the refectory – there will be questions for all the family, so students, siblings, parents, extended family, staff and friends are all very welcome at what is set to be a very enjoyable evening. Tickets can be reserved by emailing Karen Andrews (kandrews@readingschool.co.uk). In the meantime, keep an eye on this column in future editions of the newspaper, where you’ll be kept updated on the Boarding Charity Committee’s work throughout the year

A successful cake sale last term along with our sale of refreshments at the recent Geographical Association quiz has already raised over £200 for these charities, and the next fundraising event is on the horizon.

On Friday 20 March

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SOCIETY: HISTORY CLUB MILAN G. ‘We are not makers of history.

We are made by history.’ The words of Martin Luther King. If you think history club is just about discussing a bunch of people who died a very long time ago, then think again.

aim of the club is to learn about history in a relaxed way and generally about subjects that aren’t part of the curriculum. From games of strategic warfare and diplomacy, to presentations on communist Cuban dictators and the mafia bosses of the past, there are fun activities for all avid historians.

History has always been an integral part of society, and in many ways has repeated itself throughout time. We consistently learn from history and the mistakes of the past.

One of the highlights of last year was a game called ‘Backstabbr’ organised by Mr Whitehorn. The game was set in the early 20th century, and the ultimate aim was to dominate Europe. There were 7 nations represented by different student teams, and in order to reign supreme over Europe, you had to think strategically, build up your army, control supply stations, form political alliances and then….most importantly break them when they no longer served their purpose, hence the name ‘Backstabbr’.

There was a real buzz around

History is one of the most popular subjects at Reading school, as is history club. So, here’s my top 4 reasons why this club deserves some of your time: Number 1: History club is fun!

At history club, we learn about various different topics and partake in a variety of activities and challenges. If you think history club is just about reciting a load of facts from dusty old books, then you couldn’t be more wrong. The 24

history club during this time, and I have to say some rather Machiavellian tendencies were discovered amongst us.

brain. People share different perspectives on historical events, and you’re able to debate and put forward your own point of view. In doing so you get to see things from a different perspective too. After all, there were many contributing factors to historical events and rarely ever only one credible reason.

Number 2: You get a chance to present. Presentations are some of the highlights of history club.

Presenting is an important life skill needed for interviews and for future employment. History club provides the opportunity to develop these skills in a supportive environment amongst your peers.

Number 4: It improves your general knowledge. History club helps build your general knowledge on a variety of subjects, most of which are outside the curriculum. So, you can wow your family and friends with your amazing intellect, at the next trivia quiz or family game night.

Mr Whitehorn usually presents, however you always have the opportunity to present your own topic and put forward your own idea. I have co-presented a topic on piracy and also on one of my favourite artists, Leonardo DaVinci, which ended in a game of true or false.

Topics in the past have greatly varied, but all have been interesting nonetheless, and I have learnt something new each time.

For these reasons, whilst it may seem that someone who lived 100 years ago (or an event that occurred in the past) isn’t relevant to modern-day society with its technological advances, then reconsider. You may be surprised at how much you can learn from delving into the past.  

Number 3: You develop your analytical skills. At history club, you have to use your analytical

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SCHOOL TRIPS RANJEEV S.

Reading school has launched a new Power to the 9’s program that offers a wide variety of trips. These trips focus on building character and personal development and are for students in year 9. The school is running 6 trips –

Finland - On this trip, you will learn skills needed to survive in the arctic such as foraging, fishing and cooking.

Kenya - Where you will develop an understanding of how people live in rural parts of Africa. You will also have the chance to go on a safari.

Malawi - In this trip students will develop an understanding of sustainability issues, interact with the local community while exploring the amazing scenery and wildlife.

And if travelling abroad is not your thing, you can go on a three-day canoeing expedition down the River Thames. The focus is to learn the skills you need to work well together in a team, planning and organising yourself.

Madrid - If you are interested in sports then Madrid is the trip for you. You will train like a professional sportsman. You will be staying in the same hotel used by the Spanish national team.

Educational trips give students a great opportunity to learn outside of the classroom. The trips mean that students are immersed in learning from reallife situations and from their own experiences. The trips also help students with their overall character and personality

Sweden - This trip is for nature and adventure lovers. It is the perfect combination of teamwork, camping and adventuring.

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development. It also guides them towards becoming wellrounded young men. You will also get a chance to learn everyday life skills such as cooking! They will learn about community and team spirit in addition to academic learning at school.

speaking or hearing that language all the time.

Although every trip has a different focus, each trip has the same underlying principle: to help students become wellrounded, responsible young men. It will help them become eager and enthusiastic learners, hard-working individuals and high achievers. 

The school also organises trips that are focused on helping students with particular subjects such as the language’s trips or the geography trip. The languages trips are invaluable because you can only truly understand a language when you have been to a country that speaks that language. This is because you are fully immersed in the culture and are spending all your time with locals and

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“THE HUNT FOR TRAITORS AND THE FALL OF THE HAPSBURG EMPIRE.” RAJAN D. At a lecture hosted at Reading School, Mark Cornwall, a renowned historian gave us an interesting lecture on the Hunt for Traitors and the fall of the Hapsburg (Austro Hungary) Empire. I have attempted to do justice to Mr Cornwall’s inspiring lecture in my article.

In the early 20th century, the definition of treason was endangering the state of which you were a member, but today treason is betraying secrets to another country. It is interesting how much the meaning of treason has changed over time.

One kind of traitor that the Habsburg Empire just loved to deal with were the Emigre traitors, the kind who left their own countries to fight against them.

No empire has had a higher execution rate for treason than the Habsburg Empire. You may have heard of Hell, it is the first part of Italian writer Dante Alighieri's 14th-century epic poem, Divine Comedy. It talks about Dante’s journey to hell, and how the further he went the worse the punishment became for more despicable crimes, of which treason stood paramount.

A person like Tomas Masaryk.

He was a Czechoslovak politician, statesman, sociologist, philosopher and sported a tremendous moustache. He decided he did not like the way the Hapsburg Empire, which encompassed Czechoslovakia, was ran. He wanted a federal state where 28

Czechs and Slovaks could be independent. When the First World War broke out in 1914, Masaryk concluded that the best course of action was to seek independence for Czechs and Slovaks from AustriaHungary. He went into exile in December 1914 with his daughter Olga, staying in several places in Western Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States and Japan.

Masaryk began organising Czechs and Slovaks outside Austria-Hungary during his exile, establishing contacts which would be crucial to Czechoslovakia’s independence.

After overthrowing the tsarist regime in 1917, the Russian form of an absolute monarchy (which is a bit like a dictatorship) Masaryk transferred his attention to Russia in order to organise the Czechoslovakian Legion, formed by Czechoslovakian war prisoners, and to develop contacts with the new government. After the Bolshevik Revolution, he set out for the United States, where he was welcomed by Czech and Slovak groups and where he negotiated the terms of Czechoslovak independence with President Woodrow

Wilson and Secretary of State Robert Lansing. On the 3rd June 1918, Czechoslovakia was recognised as an Allied power, and its boundaries set according to Masaryk’s instruction. On November 14 1918, he was elected president of Czechoslovakia, and he was re-elected in 1920, 1927 and 1934. As a true “liberator” and “father of his country,” he was constantly occupied in settling the crises which resulted from the conflicts between the Czech and the Slovak parties. As a philosopher and democrat, Masaryk was among the first to voice his anxiety over central Europe’s fate after the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933. He resigned his post in December 1935 and died nearly two years later. So, he was potentially one of the most significant people for the push for the fall of the Hapsburg Empire.

Another significant figure regarding treason was Cesare Battisti, born and raised in Tyrol, he fled Austria-Hungary when World War 1 broke out and went to Italy. Here he joined the Italian Alpini Corps, a special division. After the Battle of Asiago, he was 29

captured by the Austrian forces on 10th July 1916 and faced a court-martial in his hometown, Trento, at the Castello del Buonconsiglio, charged with high treason. Though Battisti officially enjoyed parliamentary immunity, he was sentenced to death by strangulation. He requested a military execution by firing squad so as to not dishonour the Italian Army uniform, but the judge denied his request and instead procured for him some shabby civilian clothes.

Austrian Reichsrat lower house of parliament in 1911; but, following the outbreak of World War I, he was arrested in July 1915 and was sentenced to death for treason in 1916.

Given amnesty a year later, he was one of the home defence leaders who effected the bloodless revolution at Prague that established a national republican government. In January 1923 he was shot by a Communist revolutionary and subsequently died of his wounds.

In addition to this, many political leaders who openly opposed the Empire ended up publicly executed. For example, Alois Rasin, a leader of the Czech revolutionary organisation, Omladina. Rasin was arrested and imprisoned for conspiring against the Austrian authorities after nationalistic riots in Prague 1893, and sentenced to death.

Granted amnesty in 1895, he joined the Young Czech Party and then founded a new Radical-Progressive Party in 1899. Later, however, Rasin rejoined the Young Czechs and became a close associate of the party’s leader, Karel Kramer.

Rasin was elected to the

In conclusion, it was a fascinating lecture in which I and many other scholars of history learned much about this subject.

If you wish to attend any other lectures, please contact Mr Sexton at sexton44@gmail.com for more details.

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PROCRASTINATION LEO O’D, The school is in the grip of a vile plague; its name is Procrastination, and it’s catching. Put it off, put it down, put it out of mind, hide it away, hide away from it, or simply delay, delay, delay until you are late and remind yourself to do better next time.

Rinse and repeat. A sad, inescapable truth is that tasks do not perform themselves.

Another regrettable fact: the editor of this issue received this article at 9:30PM on the day it was due, a number I was initially quite proud of.

This is the inescapable dilemma that a truly committed procrastinator creates for themselves.But where can I find these lucky few that don’t procrastinate?

Do they exist? Do I have to find them right now? I’ll do that later. Until then, I’ll find my fellow sufferers. An unnamed year 12 student described the habit as “pretty ruinous, to be honest”; another simply replied “nah, later,” when asked for a quote.

Finally, I approached those who I thought would be beyond procrastinating, but it transpired that they too were susceptible to the habit’s wiles.

It seems as though this affliction has the entire student population firmly in its grasp.

By now it’s become clear to me that my time management skills are well-adapted- nay, dedicated- to overcoming the obstacles that my habit of avoiding, rather than confronting, an issue creates.

Yet still, I haven’t learned. I recognise procrastination in myself and others, and I put off doing anything about it.

But why? Esteemed behavioural psychology journal www.njlifehacks.com claims that “procrastination is 31

always the same story”; while we may sincerely want to do something unpleasant but ultimately rewarding, we feel unpleasant while thinking about such a task, and thus seek relief from the unpleasant feeling with other, less productive activities. I also came across some terrifying literature on a renowned online collaborative encyclopaedia which explained chronic procrastination, where putting tasks off becomes a “generalised habitual selfdestructive pattern”. The reason for this may be that the habit of completing tasks was not learned from the procrastinator’s parents in childhood, which upon reflection is a convenient excuse when my mum demands to know why I’m three months behind on my EPQ. At worst, procrastination can be a cause of shame and a contributor to low self-esteem, and occasionally a symptom of serious illnesses such as depression or ADD. This does not necessarily mean, however, that such illnesses are always the cause; one thing many procrastinators have in common is that, growing up, they were intelligent enough to be able to get away

with doing virtually no work to see positive results.

This trait seems prevalent among my peers. Luckily, however, the internet has the answer; like a destructive addiction or owning a Segway, the first step on a sufferer’s journey to overcoming procrastination is recognising it as a problem. Second comes finding out why they persist with such behaviour; it may be a fear of failure or a love of Minesweeper, but the recovering procrastinator must work out their individual reason for procrastinating.

Finally, the procrastinator must go against their every instinct and act to develop solutions, either by forgiving themselves for past mistakes, or promising themselves a post-essay Twix.

After much last-minute research and a harrowing glimpse into the recesses of my psyche, I have concluded that it is difficult, but not impossible, to remedy this school-wide epidemic of habitual procrastination.

Finally, after much deliberation, I asked myself: will I implement these solutions into my own routine?

Definitely, I decided, but not right now.

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‘THROUGH THE AGES…’ CHARLES C. As we enter a new decade, only the third for most of you, many new challenges, opportunities and unknowns lay in waiting. Without sounding too pessimistic, we have a lot to sort out. A lot.

Merely 3 weeks into this new chapter and Australia was on fire, World War III was looming and Eminem had released another album. In order to understand these terrible, terrible events I’ve looked back on previous ‘20s to answer a few questions; what can we learn from previous years about these turbulent times and are these next 3653 days doomed from the start?

(yes, the actual plague!) which found itself peaking in Marseilles claiming 100,000 deaths in this trying year. 1820 saw the beginning of a new Cholera pandemic, initially discovered in Siam (modernday Thailand) which spread across Asia like wildfire thanks to British Navy troops and merchant ships carrying the disease as far as China and Japan. Finally, the Influenza Pandemic, colloquially known as the Spanish Flu, infected 500 million, killing approximately a tenth to a fifth of all those infected. As history suggests, the roaring ‘20s have not often been good for humanity’s health and, given the recent outbreak of the Coronavirus in China, we could be looking at a lot of sick days this decade.

Starting off on a light note, many of you may already be aware however there have been serious disease outbreaks occurring in 1920, 1820 and even 1720. In 1720, there was the Second Plague Pandemic

Going far back now to 220 we witnessed the collapse of the Han Dynasty in China. The sitting Emperor Xian was at conflict with the fierce warlord 33

Cao Cao and when Cao Cao died his son, Cao Pi forced Xian to abdicate bringing an abrupt end to the Han Dynasty.

Funnily enough, as is human nature, hundreds of wars have been waged throughout history and unfortunately going into this new decade it doesn’t seem like anyone has learned their lesson. The Russian Civil War in 1920, the Glyndŵr Rising in 1420 and the Shepherd’s Crusade in 1320 are just a few examples of why we shouldn’t expect any drastic changes in the near future. Could this growing conflict between Iran and the USA act as yet another one of these examples or perhaps another conflict will surface that we are unaware of and pose dramatic changes.

freedom of religion to many people. Finally, and arguably most importantly, Reading Abbey was opened in 1121 by Henry I in the name of salvation for his and his ancestor’s souls.

It’s important going into the new decade to remember the events of the past and this little exercise should serve as a reminder that we should learn from our history and use our knowledge of it going forward.

If you are reading this you are likely a student at Reading School in the year 2020 (unless this timeless classic has been put in a time capsule for future generations to marvel over) and whilst history is a great starting point in learning about the future, it is up to you to shape it.

However, it shouldn’t be all doom and gloom, previous ‘20s have provided us with plenty of things to be grateful for and things that have greatly impacted humanity. In 1928 Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, a scientific breakthrough which has quite literally saved millions of lives.

In 1525, the New Testament of the Bible was first translated into English allowing a greater

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ENVIRONMENT: TAKE A STAND ALEXANDER M.

As a young person, I fear for my future and the lack of action from governing bodies throughout the world about one of the most important topic, Global Warming.

glass in a greenhouse, allowing sunlight through to heat the earth’s surface but trapping the heat as it radiates back into space. As the greenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere the Earth gets hotter. This process is leading to a rapid change in the climate, also known as climate change.

So, what is Global Warming and why only now has it come to light?

Global Warming is the increase of average world temperatures as a result of what is known as the greenhouse effect. Certain gases in the atmosphere act like

Global warming doesn't just mean warming — which is why "climate change" has become the trendier term among 35

researchers and policy makers.

While the globe is becoming hotter on average, this temperature increase can have paradoxical effects, such as more serious snowstorms.

There are several big ways climate change can and will affect the globe: By melting ice, by drying out already-arid areas, by causing weather extremes and by disrupting the delicate balance of the oceans.

The recent extreme weather in Australia – 2019 was both its hottest and driest year on record – will become the “new normal”, if the world continues a trajectory of warming close to 3°C, said Betts at a press briefing on Monday.

“It may sound frightening but the scientific evidence is that if we have not taken dramatic action within the next decade, we could face irreversible damage to the natural world and the collapse of our societies.”

Analysis confirms that climate change is making wildfires worse. In light of the ongoing wildfire crisis in Australia, Richard Betts at the UK Met Office in Exeter and his colleagues reviewed 57 peerreviewed studies about the link between climate change and wildfire risk.The review found that fire weather seasons have lengthened globally between 1979 and 2013. Fire weather generally involves hot temperatures, low humidity, low rainfall in the preceding days and weeks, and windy conditions.Climate models also suggest that more extreme conditions and longer fire seasons come, as a result of climate change, rather than fluctuations due to natural variation, the review reported.

"In the last year we've had a global assessment of ice losses from Antarctica and Greenland and they tell us that things are worse than we'd expected," said Prof Andrew Shepherd from the University of Leeds.

"The Greenland ice sheet is melting, it's lost four trillion tonnes of ice and it's losing five times as much ice today as it was 25 years ago."

What can we do about it? ‘Take a Stand’ is inspired by the actions of Greta Thunberg and many other young people who have made their voices heard.

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Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg explained that things can change quickly, despite the scale of the challenge on climate change.

statement, which holds true.

But the relevance of this statement to our generation is greater than ever. Let me expand upon this.

"The first day I sat all alone," she said, speaking of her decision to go on strike from school and sit outside the Swedish parliament to highlight the climate crisis. "But on the second day, people started joining me... I wouldn't have imagined in my wildest dreams that this would have happened so fast."

Possibly the biggest issue our generation is likely to face is the consequence of a rapidly changing climate. What’s that got to do with economics you may ask?

Every government aims to maximise economic growth and a standard GCSE textbook, will state that this results in pollution. Putting that into reality, China experienced a growth rate of 7.8% in 2013 which is strong but also accounted for a mind-blowing 28% of global greenhouse emissions. In 2018, India experienced a strong growth rate of 6.8%, similar to China but also 15% of all deaths in India are pollution-linked.

That’s 8.3 million people. The population of London. Clearly, there is a general pattern here but what’s being done to solve this? How can economic growth be achieved in a sustainable way?

"Change is coming whether you like it or not."

THE ECONOMICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE HAMZA S. “In the long run we are all dead”. A quote by John Maynard Keynes. A rather bold

Well, the Paris climate change agreement in 2015 was a step forward. It encouraged 37

countries across the world to limit their carbon emissions and meet different targets. It was certainly a step in the right direction but is it really so effective? The US dropped out.

And after all it’s an agreement; agreements can be broken.

Fundamentally, most economic systems across the world are mixed economies; a free market which involves government intervention in some respects.

How is economic growth achieved? It’s when firms and workers in an economy produce more goods and services in an economy, right? In a free market, their strongest incentive is profit and income and this is the case for most economies as they are freemarket based. A firm in a market wants to maximise profit. A worker in a company wants a competitive salary.

Simple economics.

production in order to maximise profit. And if renewable energy is to be used widely in order to combat climate change, you require firms to be incentivised.

Cheaper renewable energy will no doubt increase the profit motive for firms and encourage greater production. An example of that is the US who have given almost $6.6 billion in subsidies to the industry in the last 10 years. And as mentioned above, economic growth happens when there is a rise in the productive capacity of an economy. It’s only one possible solution with an array of issues and is much more complex than I have made it out to be.

The economics of climate change is not simple. Nor is the solution.

Now link this to renewable energy technology and any technology used in order to reduce carbon emissions. The costs of these technologies, although they have reduced, is still higher than standard ways of energy production. This is contrary to firms which prefer having the lowest cost of 38

CORONAVIRUS ABHIRAM S.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause a variety of symptoms ranging from the common cold to more serious illnesses including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). So far, 106 people have died across China with over 4500 people across 16 different nations contracting the illness. The coronavirus is showing no signs of slowing with the number of people

affected almost doubling as each day passes.

The virus is thought to have originated in the seafood market in Wuhan, China before passing from person to person, as those not infected with the virus come into contact with infected air droplets arising from the sneezing, coughing or speaking from those affected.

Once infected with the virus, the person could potentially 39

develop a life threatening form of pneumonia called SARS. The most common symptoms of SARS are coughing, difficulty breathing, a fever of 38.0°C and fatigue. But perhaps the most frightening characteristic of the virus is that symptoms will only show after 2 to 10 days of initially contracting the virus.

This would mean that an infected person could pass on the virus to multiple others before even realising something is wrong themselves.

Nevertheless, the authorities are fighting to keep that number as low as possible.

With a vaccine seeming out of reach in the short term, the only option is to prevent transmission of the virus through the air. As a result, the region of Wuhan has been placed on lockdown preventing anyone coming in or out of the region. Additionally, many foreign nations including the UK, are strongly advising against travelling to mainland China with Hong Kong suspending all modes of transport into the country.

France, India and South Korea have announced plans to airlift out foreign nationals stranded in Wuhan and a large number of countries are proactively screening travellers that have recently departed from the region.

What is being done about the virus?

Given other coronaviruses killed 774 and 858 in 2002 and 2012 respectively, scientists and global agencies are desperately trying to contain the outbreak with the World Health Organisation contemplating making the issue a public health emergency, alongside past pandemics including the Ebola virus and the influenza pandemic. However, it still seems inadequate. It is estimated 5 million residents of Wuhan left the region before lockdown with approximately 300,000 people infected globally including those undetected carriers.

Although the virus appears to be spreading, it is important to not panic. Past experiences have taught us that a targeted approach and preventative techniques are the most effective way of containing and arresting outbreaks – even more than sweeping quarantines. 

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COUNCIL CORNER ARCHIE T. I have been a student councillor for nearly five years, involved in many notable achievements: Addington Road gate open after a three-year struggle; recycling bins in every classroom and soap in the toilets..

bombardment of a hapless prefect being ambushed in the lecture theatre. Bringing in a prefect or staff member to drive real change on the topic has given us access to decision makers every session.

And the results are in. This year, we have achieved: setting up subject prefects, restarting this paper and over three sessions, making our views on Phone Free Friday… abundantly clear.

Some might say that this isn’t a great return for thirty minutes a week. I beg to differ – we no longer live in fear of touching the door handles. We still have far to go, but before you moan that whoever proposed Phone Free Friday didn’t ask you, remember change is much easier when you’re on the inside.

If you think the purpose of student council is to seize control, you’re wrong. What it can do is bridge the gap between students and those making the decisions that affect us. I think that’s a good deal for my Tuesday break-time. If you do too, find your councillor, or join us in Room 3.

Of course, nothing’s perfect.

This is why we’re changing.

Focusing on one topic a session, we’re making sure we come out with a solution before moving on. Discussing and debating together avoids our previous

I’ll see you there.

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A WAR OF TWO SUPERPOWERS JAI G. The two most powerful economies in the world -the U.S and China- have locked horns and engaged in a bitter trade war for the last 18 months. What started as a dispute over unfair trade practice, an unlevelled playing field for firms and theft of intellectual property has now translated into tariffs on goods worth more than hundreds of

billions of dollars, and a threat to the global economy.

In the last 20 years, China’s unprecedented economic success [Figure 1] has led to a growing sentiment in Washington that their trade practices are a problem, since these practices are unfair to American companies. These practices have helped the economy as a whole fuelling

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the U.S’ need to curb this rapid growth and retain its spot as the world’s largest economy.

billions of dollars to address trademark infringement • The People's Bank of China has continued to devalue the yuan in an attempt to boost exports and make imports more expensive, most recently in August last year - Trump accused China of “currency manipulation”

• China has strategically designated firms in certain industries of the future like technology, electric vehicles and energy to a large proportion of their resources (heavy subsidising), therefore successfully establishing competitive advantages

Donald Trump intends to change this, and his promise of reforming China resonated with his voter base back in 2016. In June 2018, the U.S began to slap tariffs on $50 billion worth of goods followed by another tariff on $200 billion worth of goods in September. China replied with the same duty tariff on $50 billion worth of goods and then on $60 billion.

In December, the U.S and China agreed to talks and halt tariffs

• China has stolen the intellectual property of US firms: by counterfeiting famous U.S brands, pressuring foreign companies to share technology with local companies to gain access to the the vast Chinese market > U.S and other countries’ firms have missed out on sales as well as having spent 43

for a 90-day period. Finally, after unconvincing tweets from Trump for months, a deal was signed a few weeks ago, on the 15th of January 2020: “A Phase 1 Trade Deal”. The Phase 1 trade deal entails:

tensions in the last 2 years have had major impacts on the world economy. The oil price shed significantly in 2018 falling 40% in the space of months after China cut U.S oil imports due to the trade war, therefore stocking up inventories and pushing prices down.

• A $200 billion spending spree of U.S exports to China [Figure 2].

The SP500 and Dow Jones index fell around 20% in the final months of 2018 after tariffs came into play. Equities in the UK fell too, with the FTSE 100 falling around 10%.

Gold, a safe haven amongst investors, was one of the only to perform- rallying 15%. The signing of the deal was greeted positively by equities and commodities markets, but uncertainty about prospects of a second deal weighs. Is this the beginning of the end of the trade war, or a small ray of hope soon to be cast away?

• Increased protection for U.S intellectual property.

• No longer a cost for U.S firms to share technology with China, to access the market .

Though brief, the deal is a promising start and both countries have indicated that talks will begin soon for a more comprehensive Phase 2 deal that will provide more protection for the U.S. The ongoing Sino-American

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PUZZLE SOCIETY: SUDOKU DANIEL C. A warm welcome to 2020 from the Reading School Puzzle Society!

We are a small but dedicated group centred around various puzzles such as sudoku, crosswords, star battles, and so much more. We meet Monday lunchtimes in room 17; feel free to come along!

Here is one of our home-made puzzles: Sandwich Sudoku The numbers 1 to 9 must appear exactly once in each row, column and 3x3 area.

The numbers outside the grid indicate the sum of the numbers between the 1 and the 9 of that row/column.

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With the beginning of a new decade comes a new Reading School production!

This year, the 39 Steps, a fast-paced spy thriller filled with excitement and comedy is being, directed by and performed by our very own Year 11 Drama students.

The showings will be held over three lunch-times on Wednesday 4th March – Friday 6th March for pupils and after school on Friday 6th March for parents and anyone else who wishes to watch!

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PLEASE CONTACT SUYASH TO BE FEATURED IN FUTURE ISSUES.

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