The Qatar Shirburnian 2020 - 2021 by Sherborne Qatar

THE QATAR SHIRBURNIAN 2020 - 2021

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

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SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

TABLE OF CONTENTS OUR HISTORY 6 FROM THE PRINCIPAL 8 SUMMARY OF THE YEAR 10 FROM THE BURSAR 20 YEAR 7 22 YEAR 8 26 YEAR 9 32 YEAR 10 36 YEAR 11 42 SIXTH FORM 48 SCHOOL COUNCIL 52 ONE YEAR ON 56 HEALTH & WELL-BEING 58 DEPARTMENTS 60 ARABIC & ISLAMIC 62 ART 64 BUSINESS 66 ENGLISH 68 GEOGRAPHY 76 HISTORY 78 ICT & COMPUTING 82 MATHEMATICS 84 MEDIA 86 MFL 88

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PERFORMING ARTS DRAMA MUSIC SHERBORNE RADIO

90 90 92 94

SCIENCE 96 SOCIOLOGY & PSYCHOLOGY 98 PHYSICAL EDUCATION 100 ENRICHMENT 102 CROSS COUNTRY 103 GOLF 104 RUGBY SUCCESS 106 SPORTS LEADERSHIP 108 CHESS 110 MEDICAL CLUB 112 DEBATING 118 MUN 122 SHERBORNE EXCHANGE 124 HOUSES 126 AHMED 128 COOK 130 COPELAND 132 CUTLER 134 HAMAD 136 MOZA 138 COLOURS AWARDS 140 COMMEM 142

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

OUR HISTORY

SHERBORNE School is an independent boys’ boarding school re-founded in 1550 under a royal charter granted by King Edward VI. It has grown into a modern school of nearly 600 pupils and about 100 teaching staff. Surrounded by the bustling market town, the school attracts pupils from across the world. Sherborne Preparatory School is an independent co-educational school for children aged 3-13 years. The school has a long and distinguished history and an enviable academic reputation as a feeder to many of England’s leading independent schools. As of April 2021 Sherborne Preparatory School has been part of Sherborne School. Sherborne Qatar was founded in 2009 and is a joint venture between Sherborne School and Sheikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Thani. Members of the Qatari royal family such as the Emir, HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, have attended Sherborne and Sheikh Abdullah and his wife Sheikha Amal have sent some of their sons there too.

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Shirburnians follow a diverse range of careers at the highest levels and include diplomats, bishops, politicians, journalists, actors, poets and musicians. Sheikh Abdullah was keen that Sherborne should join him in a partnership to bring to Qatar education opportunities and values that he had seen and liked at Sherborne. He says: “Ahmed our oldest son was transformed by Sherborne. The school’s approach helped him to discover different talents in himself and he was greatly nourished by the experience. We are extremely grateful for what a Sherborne education has given him. Sherborne has history, culture, discipline and a willingness to transform a child. That is what it did for our child and that is what we want to give to Qatar. We need to bring a more structured educational experience to our country. Qatar needs Sherborne’s culture, experience and tradition.” Sherborne Qatar is a founding member of Qatar’s Ministry of Education & Further Education Outstanding Schools Initiative and is overseen by the Ministry’s Private Schools Office. Sherborne Qatar is a self-financed, not-for-profit school with its own Board of Governors, of which Sherborne School has half of the appointed membership. Our ethos, brand and educational standards are overseen by and aligned to Sherborne School. 7

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FROM THE

PRINCIPAL “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” These are the final two lines of the famous poem, ‘Invictus’ written by William Ernest Henley in 1875. The poem is probably most famous because of its association with Nelson Mandela, who is often quoted as saying that the poem helped him through the challenges he faced during his long imprisonment. The poem was written whilst William Henley went through a difficult period of his life; in fact it was written whilst Henley was in hospital suffering from tuberculosis of the bone that eventually ended in him losing his leg. William Hendy was facing adversity, presumably feeling isolated and alone whilst recuperating in a hospital ward of Victorian England. I would imagine many of us could sympathise with his feelings, following the difficult and challenging year we have all faced. I am sure many of us have felt either isolated or lonely during periods of lockdown and even as the schools started blended learning, it was not possible to fully socialise and integrate with our friends. However, and this is the most important message I can deliver in this article: no person is alone within our strong school community. There are always people you can talk to if you need help and support or advice and guidance; you can chat to friends, senior pupils, Heads of House, School Prefects, your teachers, medical staff or the admin staff. What we have all learnt over the past 18 months is that it is important to talk face to face, to have social and enjoyable interaction with colleagues and friends and, probably most importantly, with our families.

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As a school community, we understand this has been a difficult time. We are here to support you but also to celebrate your successes, many of which are highlighted in this excellent Qatar Shirburnian magazine or were celebrated during online Commem. We are looking forward with great excitement to the next few years as we expand our Group of Schools and give parents greater choice for their children’s education. This year we successfully opened a new Girls’ School, focusing on STEM subjects. Next year we relocate our Senior School to a new building at the Grand Zone, Mall of Qatar, with some quite exceptional facilities, which I hope many of you will be able to see for yourselves. Our next development is to enhance the facilities at Bani Hajer as we convert the school back into a Junior School (KS2) and then we intend to redesign the Al Rayyan site to best educate our EYFS and KS1 children. At Sherborne, we look to take our pupils on an educational journey. Pupils start at Al Rayyan, in a small school, specifically designed for 3 – 7-year-olds, where each pupil is known, understood, and supported to develop and grow. Pupils progress to the Junior School at Bani Hajer, another small school, where you are encouraged to develop your personal interests, your areas of strength, your leadership. Finally, you transfer to the Senior School where you are educated in an age-appropriate building, with facilities designed for pupils of secondary school age, where you grow and develop until reaching the Sixth Form. Here, you will be treated like the young adult you have become on your journey through the Sherborne Family of Schools. William Henley was resolute during his extended stay in hospital; he showed determination to be the master of his own fate, to be the captain of his soul, a worthy and commendable trait. However, we are not alone; we have friends to talk to, to support us, to guide us and to teach us. I encourage every pupil at Sherborne to take every opportunity that is presented to you. Look at this review of the last academic year, at all we have managed to achieve over the last year and ask yourself what areas of school life do you wish to enhance, to improve, to challenge, and then, as a member of our school community, you can say;

“I am the master of our fate, I am the captain of our soul.”

Nick Prowse Principal & CEO

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SUMMARY OF THE YEAR

BY STEPHEN SPICER - HEADMASTER The first thing I must say is a massive thank you to all the pupils, teachers and parents for their support and perseverance. The entire school community has displayed incredible resolve and should be proud of how they have coped with such a tiresome and prolonged situation. I hope you enjoy reading ‘The Qatar Shirburnian 2020/21’. It has been an unusual year, unlike any other, with sadly fewer chances for our pupils to explore their interests and get involved in opportunities outside of the academic programme. That said, there has still been plenty to celebrate and, for good or bad, this academic year will certainly be one that we will all remember. In March 2020, governments around the world began implementing measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, closing schools and moving to remote learning almost overnight. About 150 countries fully closed their schools back in March 2020, including Qatar, and most did so until the end of that academic year. The situation worldwide began to change from May 2020 onward, with a decline in the number of countries deciding to fully close their schools and an increase in the number of countries who were partially or fully opening schools. Six months from the start of school closures, in September 2020, a reversal in trends emerged with around 100 countries opening schools fully, about 50 countries partially opening schools and around 25 countries continuing to keep their schools fully shut. We were delighted in Qatar to be able to start the 2020/21 academic year with blended learning. Although by no means a return to normality, the whole school community were pleased to have pupils physically in school again, even if it was only every other day. 10

From the start of the academic year, the Senior School’s main priority was to provide the highest quality teaching and learning despite the COVID-19 restrictions. Pupils were split into two groups – the blue group and the green group. Pupils in Years 7 to 12 physically attended school every other day, while, soon into Term 1, the Year 13 pupils, due to small class sizes, attended school every day. Whether at home or physically in school, from the start of the school year pupils had 5 hours of academic instruction each day (six 50-minute lessons - as under normal conditions) and 25 minutes of pastoral time and well-being support. In order to meet the various restrictions, the maximum number of pupils in a classroom was 12 and pupils had their breaktimes supervised in their tutor rooms. At the start of the 2020/21 academic year we began using Microsoft Teams as our virtual learning environment. All lessons were live and interactive as we wanted to ensure that pupils, regardless of whether they were studying from home or physically in school, had the same support and experience each day. All lessons being live and interactive lessons meant that pupils were fully engaged in the lessons, could ask questions and contribute. From the onset we did all we could to support the social and pastoral needs of the pupils. For example, Sherborne Qatar Senior School was the first school in Qatar to join the Well Schools Community. We also liaised with various organisations to support the mental well-being of our pupils and teachers.

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Second and third waves hit many countries and unfortunately Qatar suffered its second COVID-19 wave in spring 2021. Accordingly, on 1st April the Ministry of Education and Higher Education announced a return to remote learning. Other than pupils not being physically in school, arrangements largely remained the same at Sherborne Qatar Senior School after the decision was made to return to remote learning. All lessons were live and interactive, and pupils continued to have the same support, and access to resources, as they did during blended learning. One change was the decision to utilise the timetabled PE lessons to support pupil wellbeing and to provide opportunities for pupils to socialise and interact. The PE staff did, however, continue to encourage pupils to be physically active. For the second year examinations were cancelled for our Year 11, 12 and 13 pupils. It was unfortunate that our pupils, in these examination years, were not given the opportunity to sit the externally set and marked papers to determine their grades. Instead, schools in Qatar, and in many countries worldwide, had to provide Teacher Assessed Grades (TAGs - for Pearson Edexcel) and School Assessed Grades (SAGs - for Cambridge Assessment International Education). These grades were derived from, and supported by, a basket of evidence for each pupil and for each subject a pupil studied. We endeavoured to give our pupils multiple opportunities throughout the academic year to demonstrate their understanding and to enable us to select evidence that best reflected their overall ability. All the academic staff worked tirelessly to ensure pupils achieved the grades they deserved.

At the start of the 2020/21 academic year we welcomed the following teachers into the Sherborne Community: Lina Alabsi Fasal Choudhri * Justin Goldsack Tahnia Hafeez Julie Hart Christopher Kinlan Bethany Martin Zolfa Salman Muhaisen Rokhsareh Ramezami Sarah Robertson Christopher Thompson

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Arabic & Islamic Studies Teacher Business & Economics Teacher Director of Learning Biology and Science Teacher Learning Support Teacher Head of Learning Support History Teacher Arabic & Islamic Studies Teacher Maths Teacher PE Teacher Second in Department Mathematics

*COVID-19 restrictions meant many new staff struggled to get into Qatar at the start of the academic year and staff with dependents spent many painful months separated from their loved ones. Mr. Choudhri temporary left the Senior School (to return for 2021/22) towards the end of Term 1 after repeated attempts to bring his wife into the country were unsuccessful.

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Sherborne Qatar Senior School Staff – 2020/21

Our examination results in 2020 maintained our status as one of the highest performing premier independent British senior schools in the Middle East.

I/GCSE Results In 2020: • 41% of all I/GCSE grades were the top 9 to 7 grades (compared with just 26% in England). • 91% of all grades were a grade 4 or higher (equivalent to a C grade or higher). In comparison, in England 76% of all grades were a grade 4 or higher in 2020. • 100% of pupils achieved a passing grade (for the second year in a row). • 88% of pupils achieved 5 or more passes at grade 4 or higher (up from 87% in 2019) and 87% of pupils achieved 5 or more passes (including English and Mathematics) at grade 4 or higher (up from 81% in 2019). • 8% of pupils did amazingly well achieving a grade 7, 8 or 9 in all their subjects (equivalent to A/A*). • for one-third of pupils at least half of their grades were a grade 7, 8 or 9.

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I/GCSE Results - Trend Data 2018

2019

2020

Grades 7 - 9

39% 37% 41%

Grades 4 - 9

83% 87% 91%

98%

Pass

100% 100%

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AS Level Results In 2020: • 30% of all grades were a grade A (up from 22% in 2019). • 50% of all grades were either a grade A or B (up from 37% in 2019). • the average grade achieved across all subjects was a grade C. • in terms of value-added, on average pupils achieved one grade higher (for example an A compared with a B) in at least one of their four AS Level subjects (compared with externally generated target grades).

AS Level Results - Trend Data

2018

A A to B A to C A to E

2019

2020

21% 22% 30% 39% 37%

50% 58% 54%

74% 85% 85% 96%

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A Level Results In 2020: • an amazing 44% of all grades were A* or A (up from 39% in 2019). • 69% of all grades were in the A* to B range. • 83% of all grades were in the A* to C range. • 26% of pupils did exceptionally well achieving an A* or an A in all their subjects. • over half of the pupils (54%) achieved at least one grade A in their A Levels. • the average A Level grade achieved across all subjects was a grade B. • in terms of value-added, on average pupils achieved one grade higher (for example an A compared with a B) in ALL of their 3/4 A Level subjects (compared with externally generated target grades).

A Level Trend - Grades 30% 23%

21%

33% 27% 28% 26% 14% 14% 16%

12% 4%

7% 5%

8% 3%

U 2018

2019

2020

BTEC Results In 2019 we celebrated the first set of results for our new BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma in Business. In that year all pupils achieved at least a pass (BTECs are graded as either Fail, Pass, Merit, Distinction or Distinction*) and this was repeated in 2020. Each year pupils at Sherborne Qatar Senior School are awarded international and national awards for their academic achievements.

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Performance in recent international studies Sherborne Qatar

Reading Literacy

Mathematical Literacy

Scientific Literacy

All Schools In Doha

570

407

555

414

575

419

Sherborne Qatar compared to all schools in Qatar

Much Higher

PISA 2018 - Fifteen Year Old

PISA : Programme for International Pupil Assessment

As with previous years, and despite the uncertainty created by the pandemic, last year’s Year 12 and Year 13 leavers secured places in top universities across the world. Our alumni are now completing the first year of the university studies. Although, given the current situation more pupils than usual understandably decided to defer entry to university by a year. In celebration of our pupils’ achievements in getting into top universities worldwide below is a list of some of outstanding institutions our pupils gained access to.

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Course:

University:

Biomedical Health

University of Derby, UK

Business

NUCB, Japan

Business

City University, UK

Business (Foundation)

Kings College, UK

Business and Management

Durham University, UK

Cyber Security

DeMontfort University, UK

Dentistry

MSA, Egypt

Economics

Egypt American University, Egypt

Engineering

Qatar/Jordan University, Qatar/Jordan

Engineering

Texas A&M, Qatar

English and History of Art

University of Leeds, UK

Finance, Business and Economics

York University, Ontario, Canada

History with Spanish

Nottingham University, UK

International Business

Keele University, UK

International Politics

Georgetown, Qatar

Journalism

Edinburgh Napier University, UK

Law

University of Hull, UK

Law

Auckland University, New Zealand

Law (Foundation)

Swansea University, UK

Mathematics

University of London, UK

Medicine

University of Manchester, UK

Pharmacy

Qatar University, Qatar

Philosophy with Politics

University of Glasgow, UK

Physiotherapy

Sheffield Hallam University, UK

Politics

Georgetown, Qatar

Politics and History

Cardiff University, UK

Science and Engineering

University of Helsinki, Finland

Software Engineering (Foundation)

Swansea University, UK

Sports and Health Studies

University of Birmingham, UK

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

“Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher” - Japanese proverb.

At the end of the academic year, we sadly say farewell to several colleagues that are embarking on new teaching adventures in Qatar and worldwide. Lina Alabsi William Curneen Estelle Jones Eimear McGinley Niamh McGowan Nuala Reid Andrew Roberts

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Arabic & Islamic Studies Teacher (joining Sherborne Qatar School for Girls) Head of House and Maths Teacher Head of Year 8 and English Teacher Business Teacher Mathematics Teacher Lead Psychology & Sociology Teacher Head of House, Lead Politics Teacher and History Teacher

Each of the above teachers has made a massive contribution to the Senior School and will be deeply missed by their colleagues and pupils. We wish you all every success, health, and happiness. In the words of CS Lewis “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream”. I must also take this opportunity to publicly thank Mrs. Jackie Wollaston who is stepping down as Chair of the PTA, and leaving the PTA Committee, at the end of this academic year. Mrs. Wollaston has assiduously supported the PTA for 9 years and has been chair for almost 5 of those years.

We end the year with the exciting news that we will now be moving to the new state-of-the-art building in the Grand Zone adjacent to the Mall of Qatar. Hopefully we’ll be moving for the start of the academic year, but, if not, it won’t be too long until we do move.

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As previously communicated, the enhanced facilities will enable us to expand our academic programme and give our pupils access to facilities unequalled in Qatar. In summary, and as a reminder, the new site boasts: • 12 Science labs; • ICT and robotics suites; • a large library; • Design and Technology rooms; • specialist Drama, Art and Music facilities; • a 250-seater theatre; and, • multiple outside sporting areas, including a 100m running track, two sports halls, a large multi-purpose pitch and a 25m swimming pool.

One area that I am particularly excited about is the Sixth Form Centre which is located on the top floor. The dedicated Sixth Form Centre has a very large Common Room, a large private study area and six break-out smaller study areas. Finally, all are hopeful that we can start the 2021/22 academic year with ‘normal’ arrangements. It has been an especially hard school year, and we are all exhausted — physically, mentally, and emotionally. Therefore, I hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable summer. Kindest regards,

Stephen Spicer Headmaster

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FROM THE

BURSAR Don’t expect only happiness in your life there can be some dark times but remember a star needs darkness to shine The last year has been a roller-coaster for all of us, with online and blended learning, examination cancellations and so on. The academic Year 2020 - 2021 will be a year which is remembered for a long time. Whilst the pandemic has significantly disrupted educational provision, it has also provided opportunities for transforming pedagogy and finding new ways of teaching and learning; new ways of communicating with children and families and new ways of increasing overall pupil well-being. Despite the difficulties and uncertainties, we never compromised on the essential needs of our pupils. We ensured that effective modes of learning, technology, resources and facilities were available to fulfil all the needs of our teaching and learning.

Education is the movement from darkness to light - Allan Bloom This year we added to the Sherborne Qatar family of schools with the successful opening of the junior section of our new Sherborne Qatar School for Girls, at its brand new site at Al Ebb and with its focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) within the British curriculum. The senior section will open in the autumn. We will also take the opportunity to enhance the range of choices at GCSE / IGCSE and A Levels. This has been my first year at Sherborne and it has been an exciting challenge. I have received support from colleagues, parents and pupils and I have enjoyed my part in taking forward the legacy of our family of Sherborne Schools. I also thank Sharaka Holdings, for helping me to overcome any financial and operational challenges beyond our control. I extend my best wishes to all this year’s leavers and a warm welcome to all who are joining the school. Ashish Garg Acting Bursar

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Isabella Keefe, Year 7 21

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YEAR 7 My first year in Sherborne Qatar by John Olowu 7E This academic year has been brilliant. Even whilst the COVID-19 pandemic continues to plague Qatar, the teachers and pupils have all supported and encouraged each other, no matter how tough it has been. As a new pupil to Sherborne Qatar Senior School, I can say that I have enjoyed learning new things, developing mentally and in particular, the academics - whether learning simultaneous equations, writing essays on Macbeth or investigating diffraction. It has been challenging and fun! As a member of Sherborne Qatar Preparatory School for over 4 years, I can say that just like the senior school, it helped me to develop mentally and educationally. The first term was perhaps the most challenging. We all had to adapt to blended learning, something we had never experienced before. In English, we started the year learning about the Titanic and how things were different in the past, then we studied poetry, analysing numerous poets and their styles of writing. In Term 2, we read and analysed Macbeth and in Term 3, we read and wrote about the book called ‘Chinese Cinderella’. I have really enjoyed English this year and my teacher has helped me to develop my vocabulary skills. In the first two terms, we did many science experiments. We learnt about diffusion, evaporation, muscles and bones, the human body and so much more. Term 3 was different because remote learning prevented us from completing experiments in class. However, I have still enjoyed science. Our work on particles and pressure was a particular highlight. In French and Spanish, we have learnt how to conjugate verbs, focused on where we live, how to describe ourselves and other people, how to describe our birthdays and age, how to say our names, and how to write with more detail. I have personally enjoyed languages from a young age and find it so worthwhile to develop my skills in different languages. Finally, in mathematics we have studied the nth term, sequences, algebra, and much more. Throughout Year 7, I have experienced many different roles and had the opportunity to achieve so much. In Term 1, I was named the 7E School Council Member and a Year 7 Representative along with being chosen as a Vice House Captain for Cutler. In Term 2, I was chosen to be a Co-Chief Engineer in the Sherborne Qatar Radio Team. Along with a plethora of positive assessment results, including a level 6a in two mathematic assessments, a 7c in science, and 6c in both my history and geography assessments, it really has been a very successful year. I believe that Sherborne Qatar prepares you for life beyond school. The pupils are aspirational. We learn and develop a considerable range of skills in a variety of subjects. As a Shirburnian, I can proudly say that I have enjoyed and thrived in my first year at this incredible school.

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Angelina Panaretos, Year 7 25

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YEAR 8 A note from Mrs Jones; Who would have considered this time last year, that school would still not be back to normal? It’s been a very challenging year for everyone and I salute the efforts and commitment of Year 8 pupils and your determination to complete your schoolwork as well as the way you have endeavoured to remain focused during lessons. Thankfully, the summer holidays are almost upon us and I urge you all to get out, enjoy yourselves and take time away from your screens. It has been a tough year and we all deserve some down time! It is with regret that I will be leaving Sherborne and Qatar this year. I have spent five years at the school and I have loved every minute of it. As well as being part of a brilliant English Department, I have also particularly enjoyed being Head of Year 9 last year and Head of Year 8 to you all this year; it goes without saying that I am sad that I will not be continuing the journey with you into Year 9. However so, I wish you all well in your future and whatever it may be, remember to continue to be the very best version of you and that it is never too late to start again – if you need to. Each and every one of you is an amazing person and you must never lose sight of that. You are all unique in your own way and it has been a privilege to be your Head of Year. I will miss you all, but I feel safe in the knowledge that I will be handing you over to Mr Collins, who will be my replacement. Mr Collins is competent, experienced and will be a super Head of Year so I know you will all be very well looked after and that you are in good hands. I would also like to thank our wonderful Year 8 parents who have been extremely supportive of the way in which we have delivered lessons this year; furthermore, they have only ever praised my amazing team of tutors: Mr Khan, Miss O’Neill, Mr Asif, Mrs Malak and Mr Mortimer have worked hard with their tutees to ensure that they have received the best pastoral support possible during these trying times. I will miss you all and I leave with a very heavy heart. 2020 – 2021 – an unusual Year 8 for us! Nishita Madhan It is astonishing how it has been a year since things were normal in school. I was excited during the first day of Year 8. The summer holidays of 2020 were undeniably the worst! I could not leave my house and of course, I did not travel abroad to my grandparents and cousins. Everything was sudden and lock down felt like sitting in a prison cell. So you can imagine my excitement when I finally met my best friends at school at the beginning of September 2020. Even though masks were terribly annoying, I did not notice it when I was chatting to my friends and my teachers. I enjoyed blended learning as I could have time with my friends in school and was not sitting feeling alone at home every day, as had happened during the first lockdown. Online learning can be very difficult as there are so many more distractions at home; I found this very challenging for a while especially as lessons became quieter and pupils become more apathetic, however after a while we all settled into a routine. The restrictions to my freedom due to the pandemic have been another challenge. Nevertheless, as time went on, it helped me improve and mend my personal relationships with my family. I got engaged in other activities too (mostly my hobbies) and enjoyed time with myself. I got to understand myself on a deeper level, as well as the people I am still in touch with. Although learning from home is not an option I would choose, I’m glad that I am now adjusted to it and that there have been benefits to this type of learning.

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Sharifah Khadija Shah Blended learning has certainly been a learning journey. At the beginning of the academic year, it was challenging but it became easier with time. There were pros and cons of the process which I will briefly address below. Initially, it felt strange to have fewer people in my classes. Although I did not mind it very much, sometimes I did miss having a bigger class. I missed having break time outside and I did not like that we had to have break time in our form classes, as we only got up from our seats to go to our lessons or visit the bathroom. It was difficult to answer questions because unlike physical school, one is less visible and most of the times when I raised my hand, it went unnoticed. Some pupils used to unmute their microphones and answer questions. Previously, I have tried doing this and ended up failing, as the moment I had unmuted myself, the question had already been answered by someone else. On the days that we were online, there were many distractions, for example, siblings shouting whilst someone’s microphone is on, drawing etc. Due to these distractions, I may not have been able to understand something; however, during the days that we went to school, I was able to clarify content taught online which helped to consolidate my learning. A major advantage of blended learning is that I got better at using technology. An example of this is when we started using Microsoft Teams, I became fluent in using it. Nouran Shehata I found this year quite a challenge and believe that online learning has had a huge effect on our mental and physical well-being. Sometimes I would suffer headaches from looking at screens for long periods of time but considering the tough challenge this year, the staff members have been a great support to us and have all been very understanding, tackling our struggles through Tutor Time and teaching us useful strategies to help with the new demands placed on us with online learning. Though we were forced into a less than ideal situation, we continued to persevere with our learning. Personally, one of the biggest obstacles that I had to overcome, and I am sure many of my peers experienced this too, is maintaining a continued focus and not allowing myself to become easily distracted when online. With effort and determination, I overcame this struggle by getting rid of things around me that created distractions. This really helped me, resulting in the maximising of my learning. Coming into Year 8, we began our school year with blended learning, which was very easy to adapt to. However, in recent times we have had to return to online learning, which at first was very disappointing. Despite the difficulties, our teachers have helped us tremendously with their continuous persistence to teach us, because of this, the transition from blended to online learning was very smooth and we have mostly adapted well to these recent changes. Year 8 may have been a year which at times was unexpected, but we have all survived. We have learned resilience; we have learned to adapt and for sure, we are probably all experts on Teams now! 27

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The Immortal End He teleports and teleports to different parts of the world; yet wherever he twirls, it is still the end of the world. There is no way out of this; there is no place safe to hide. As his immortality, that was granted from the spirits, slowly runs out, all of his memories that he had taken in from 1000 years ago, slowly enter the centre of his mind. He is slowly realising, that there is nothing he can do to stop this. Then he comes across a family of three: he decides to give his immortality to them so they can start a new life. So, he takes the knife of immortality, and gives it to them, with that knife, life starts again. By Sacher Nasser, Year 8

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Rachel Hallet, Year 11 31

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YEAR 9 Going into Year 9 after ending Year 8 in lockdown, meant when we returned in September it was like starting secondary school again. We had a whole new set of rules around social distancing to follow and a whole new style of learning to adapt to, but in the end, the year went even better than we expected. This year has been different to the other years with pupils having to adapt to blended learning and though at first the change felt difficult to make, Year 9 has done amazingly well in learning this new way of studying and enjoying our lessons again. One problem when blended learning first started was trying to be focused at home. As pupils were at home it is very easy to get distracted and not pay attention to the teacher. However, Year 9 have done brilliantly with overcoming this problem by finding solutions such as going to a quiet place in the house and turning our phones off during the school day. As we’ve developed studying techniques, we’ve gained in self-confidence and improved our IT skills which will be invaluable in the future. One great positive of being back in school was being able to interact with our friends after months of lockdown and isolation. During this time, our mental health has been greatly affected by these troubling times, but the staff have been so helpful and understanding and supporting us. Pupils have gotten help by having specific times allotted for any one that has been feeling particularly under pressure during these difficult times to talk to either their form tutor or any other member of staff to try and relieve the stress and make life a whole lot easier. In form time we have also completed activities to support our mental health such as the Resilience Donut and this has furthered our understanding on how we can look after ourselves during this time. One last thing that we found to be extremely helpful was the P.E lessons in which we would talk about what could be done to keep a good mental state and in particular the importance of keeping active. As we are about to enter Year 10, the phrase I/GCSE is an exciting yet daunting thought. Our I/GCSE choices have always been important to us as they focus our minds on the future and help us begin to choose our careers. At this stage we have no idea how school will be structured but we believe that we will work past any possible problems, persevere and look forward to the next stage of our education with optimism. Junaydah Murray Jacobs, 9A Wajih Shah, 9D Year 9 School Council Representatives

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Refugee Home is like a nest A nest of barbed wire In a constant war with itself Gunshots are white noise Departing was the only choice Into a world of discrimination A place full of monsters With their hands on their holsters And their knees on our necks A point of no return. There is no escape It is like a game of hide and seek Full of tyrants and oblivious rulers. I wish to change, To change my identity My skin colour My language My culture My life. By Tarek Bendou, Year 9

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

YEAR 10 There’s no doubt that Covid-19 has posed many challenges for us over the last year. However, thanks to the perseverance of our teachers and our diligent efforts, we have adapted extremely well and beat the odds. As Year 10 pupils, we have had to take on more responsibility now that we have embarked on our I/ GCSE journey. This is the beginning of our futures since next year we will have to undertake our examinations, and that is actually not that far away now. There were so many questions that were running through our heads at the beginning of this year about this stage of our school lives such as: questioning if we had chosen the right subjects or if we would be able to handle the workload and pressures of I/ GCSEs. Nonetheless, we have started off strong and persevered to learn to the best of our ability we can this year.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 cases rising again, we began our final term of Year 10 in full online learning in April, posing us with new challenges. Although we had a well orgainsed, more systematic approach to full online learning compared to last year, it was difficult not being able to see friends and teachers when learning but we have shown resilience and have continued to partake and participate in classes. There has never been anything like this year and there most likely never will be. This unprecedented time has been a completely different and unique experience that we are not ever going to forget! Raihah Noor Chaudhry Leo James Confalone School Council Executive Committee

During the first term of school, we were faced with several challenges. Blended learning restricted us from seeing our friends, playing sports, and joining extra-curricular activities. These changes added onto our nervousness and uncertainty about our start to Year 10. The first third of the year flew by and before we knew it, the winter break began. We had settled in as year 10s and had become used to the work and flow of our classes. After our quick and well deserved winter break, we returned to school in January refreshed and ready to launch into the second term of the year. We were well adapted to Microsoft Teams and were efficient in our lessons. As we approached March, we also found ourselves looking back on how it had already been a whole year since our first lockdown and how it felt so much longer since then. By then, we had acclimatised to blended learning and were confident in our abilities to overcome any challenges which may face us. From the physical restrictions we faced in school to Wi-Fi problems at home, we were able to triumph and finish the term with ease. 36

Habiba Shehata, Year 10

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Well, this past year has been extremely different to what I had originally thought my year 10 would be like. I stayed inside for the majority of the year and rarely saw my friends. Of course, not on my own volition – it was all thanks to COVID-19. Coping with COVID-19 for yet another academic year was initially difficult – I wasn’t able to frequently see my friends nor attend school normally. Moreover, my family and I were not able to travel abroad during the summer holiday to visit my extended family. Another thing COVID-19 unfortunately impacted was the year 10 pupils’ ability to begin the Duke of Edinburgh award programme. My peers and I were meant to start the programme this year however, the virus impeded us from doing so. All of these unforeseen changes and restrictions really shocked and negatively affected me. Nonetheless, I adopted the mentality that there is nothing I can do about these circumstances, so I must accept them and try to remain positive; all I can do right now is hope for the best! Moreover, the implementation of blended learning allowed us to return to classrooms and to meet up with friends every other day – this helped me, and I’m sure many other pupils as well, feel like life was a bit “normal” again. Something I am extremely grateful for is that not only has the school continued providing a high level of education throughout the past year, Sherborne has also worked on minimising the impact that the pandemic has on pupils’ mental health. For example, we have had PE lessons focusing on the importance of exercise for our mental wellbeing. I also really appreciate the pastoral care provided by my form tutor, Miss Cobo, and subject teachers who adapt their plans to accommodate pupils’ reasonable and justified requests when possible. I honestly believe that their encouragement and guidance has aided us through these times of adversity. With the support of my school, family and friends, I was able to completely adapt to these unprecedented circumstances. Despite the negatives, COVID-19 has helped me learn a multitude of lessons. During the past year, I have realised how much I truly cherish and enjoy being with my friends; I now recognise that I took attending school with them every day for granted. I have become much closer with my family and appreciate them even more now. I have also realised how privileged and fortunate I am in regards to my standard of living – I live in a comfortable house, I do not suffer from any shortage of food or water and I have access to technology that allows me to communicate with people regardless of how far apart we may be. As I mentioned earlier, instead of complaining about the negatives that may be currently present, I learned to focus on and appreciate all the positives in my life. In September, I will be starting Year 11. It will be the final year of my I/GCSE course, so it will be crucial I continue studying and preparing for those final exams. I hope that in the next academic year, I am able to remain resilient, diligent and determined. I wish the same to all my peers as well! Isabela Ventorim, Year 10

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

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Chandni Chowk I meander through the dawn of Chandni Chowk, as its drab sky shrouds the sun’s appearance of its serene, calm and pristine pastel shades before it arises upon the city’s vigorous and robust street market. As I saunter about at daybreak in the market, the cocktail of smells dissolve into the atmosphere, while baskets of spices pepper the vendors’ stalls. Its tranquilising rhythmic ringing of all the noises in the world are a plethora of melodies pulsing in my ears with every stride: motorcycle horns echoing from the distance; a snake charmer’s flute whistling with the wind; a juggler’s audience cheering in contentment; people chattering, haggling about the prices; vendors trying to coax their customers to buy and procure their products. At exactly 6:30am, I look up at the sky and observe a coral blossom sunrise glistening off the tangerine sun that pleasantly greets my eyes. The sky merges in exquisite shades. It is all so soft. Placid. Flawless. Not just the people but also exotic birds trill high frequencies from their cages as their wings are clipped; they come in a myriad of colours, their thoraxes littered with splashes of vibrant emerald greens and crimson, blending with each other harmoniously. The butcher’s hands are encrusted with the ruby blood of different livestock as he pounds his cleaver against the pink, skinless flesh, meandering his way around the excess fat and sinuses, flinging the waste product into a stainless steel pot that glares as it reflects the beaming rays of yolky sunlight. After the sun has ascended upon this alluring, passionate city and its people, its shimmering glow reaches out to the darkness and grabs it by the hand to tug it away and expose the energetic and true beauty of Chandni Chowk; the heart of the city is pumping at its peak, with the people slithering through its veins and arteries. Delhi has come to life.    By Jibran Ahmed, 10D - Sharym Jaffery, 10A - Abdelrahman Ghanem, 10D - Zaim Waqar, 10D.

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Rachel Hallet, Year 11 41

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

YEAR 11 There’s no denying that it has been a hard year; an unexpected pandemic combined with our final two years of I/GCSEs made for a time of drastic changes in the way we both worked and lived. We have had to communicate wholly via computers for the first time ever, while still attempting to maintain our grades, friendships and sanity, which was challenging, yet, in an odd way, enlightening. It has made us value things like face-to-face contact in a way we never have before, and also gain a new appreciation for simple norms like leaving our houses when we wanted to and standing as close to people as we pleased. Undoubtedly, it hasn’t always been enjoyable or easy, yet our perseverance to work hard and achieve has shone through, and this has definitely not gone unnoticed. Molly Lashley, School Council Representative Year 11 have journeyed through I/GCSEs during this unusual time, and I’m proud to say that I believe each of us have achieved greatly, thrived, and reached many goals despite the hardship. This school year was an important milestone; our I/GCSEs were an ultimate test for our hard work and perseverance, and we have all done brilliantly throughout this academic turning point. As we near the end of our GCSE journey, we now work toward our AS and A Levels. In Year 11, we have grown each day toward finding our paths for A Levels and university; our future, some of us taking strides towards knowing what we want to do, and some of us still exploring the possibilities. Year 11 have also strongly pushed through 3 rounds of exams this year; we worked hard through our November and January mock exams, and due to the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, unfortunately we were not able to follow through with doing our I/GCSE final exams, we completed final exams in May to further determine our final I/GCSE grades. We have undergone stress and change throughout this academic year, but with excellent work ethic, patience and endurance we got there, we should all be more than proud of ourselves for what we have overcome. It is important to remember that all of this hard work and dedication is very much worth it in the end, we have all been able to take and receive amazing opportunities in this peculiar year, with more to come. It is without a doubt we have great promise for our AS and A levels. Congratulations and well done to everyone in Year 11 for we have gained successes, valuable knowledge and gratitude, and best of luck for those moving onto sixth form and those moving on from Sherborne. Have a good summer! Uneiza Haque, School Council Representative

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SIXTH FORM

It has been an honour to have supported our Sixth Form pupils in the next stage of their journey. I have been impressed by the hard work, commitment and dedication of our Sixth Formers who have been role models to the rest of the school. Indeed, I am amazed at the resilience and good humour of our pupils, even through these difficult and uncertain times. For our Year 12 pupils who have made the transition from the lower school, I would like to congratulate them for their contributions to the life of the Sixth Form this year. It has been a challenging year but these contributions certainly mark them out as being a mature and resourceful group of pupils who are always willing to support our Shirburnian values. Unfortunately, with the ever-changing nature of the restrictions placed on us by the pandemic, it has not been possible to fully celebrate the achievements in the usual manner and we must hope for a return to normality next year. For our Year 13 pupils, about to embark on the beginning of their adult lives, I would like to thank you all for the contributions, you have made, throughout your years at Sherborne, to making Sherborne the success it has become. It is through your mature and diligent approach to your studies that you will, I am sure, enjoy further success wherever you plan to study next year. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our Head and Deputy Head Boys and Girls; Oliver Kinnaird-Barr, Zakarya Ahmeda, Amira Ismail & Aymen Dar, for all your support and hard work this year. This unusually challenging year at Sherborne would not have been as enjoyable as it was without your hard work and support. And finally, to all of you leaving the Sixth Form this year, I would like to wish you every success in your endeavours for the future and hope that the values which you have demonstrated whilst in the Sixth Form help to inspire you to ever greater achievement. You leave with all our very best wishes and hopes for the future. Marcus Hamlin Director of Sixth Form

Sixth Form Mentoring Project: This academic year has seen the introduction of a mentoring project whereby pupils support their peers in preparing for their exams. This started in November when fourteen Year 12 pupils were buddied up with ten Year 11 pupils with the aim of helping them to prepare for their mock exams in January. This involved regular weekly target setting meetings and gave Year 11 pupils the chance to draw on the experiences of their mentees, and seek advice on how to manage their time, how to cope exam pressure and how even how to remain active and the benefits of this. Following the mock exams, pupils were preparing for the summer examination series which saw Year 12 pupils delivering weekly talks about different topics in the lead up to final exams. Some of these included ‘Healthy body & Healthy mind’ and ‘Last Minute Revision Tips’. We hope to continue to roll this out next year across Years 11, 12 and 13. Amy Price, Assistant Head of Sixth Form

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AlJori Al Kuwari, Year 11

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

YEAR 12

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Amira Al Said, Year 10

YEAR 13

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SCHOOL COUNCIL HEADS OF SCHOOL & PREFECTS

The School Council provides ‘pupil voice’ and over the years has been a key element in bringing about changes and improvements to the school. Recent areas of focus include re-shaping Celebration Assemblies so they are ‘for young people, by young people’, making the school greener (through re-cycling bins and Green Day) and more active (through Active form times and purchasing lunchtime equipment), as well as pushing for healthier lunches in school. The School Council for 2020-2021 discussed and worked on many areas including the mental health and well-being of pupils, gratitude and giving to others, the timings of form time, and developments around school uniform. In the words of Nelson Mandela “the youth today, are the leaders of tomorrow”. The nominated School Council members for 2020-2021 are: Year 7 7A Yasmin Kerwat Ahmed 7E John Olowu Cutler Year 8 8B Malak Ezzeldin Moza 8D Rory Van Eck Cook Year 9 9A Junaydah Murray Jacobs Moza 9D Wajih Shah Cutler Year 10 10A Raihah Noor Chaudhry Hamad 10B Leo Confalone Moza Year 11 11C Molly Lashley Copeland 11C Uneiza Haque Ahmed Year 12 12A Butool Abedi Hamad 12C Sahar Ali Ahmed 12E Shahd Al Hajri Hamad Year 13 13A Amira Ismail (Head Girl) Hamad 13C Oliver Kinnaird-Barr (Head Boy) Copeland 13A Aymen Dar (Deputy Head Girl) Copeland

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DEPUTY HEAD BOY - PEER MENTOR PROGRAMME - ZAKARYA AHMEDA I have had the honour of taking part in the Peer Mentor programme in Sherborne for both of the years I attended school here. Through this programme I have had the opportunity to work alongside three wonderful pupils and I have had the honour of helping them transition to the capable pupils they have become. The Peer Mentor programme has had a substantial impact on the school, from building up on the mindset of creating a community to focusing on teamwork throughout the year groups, it allows pupils to have that extra bit of help that the teachers may not be able to give due to how long ago they may have sat their external exams. Aside from academics, the Peer Mentor programme also helps build confidence in our current pupils in Years 10 and 11. This is very visible in seeing how they have matured from their earlier sessions to the later ones; seeing them go from being shy and timid, to confident and capable. Programmes such as the peer mentoring are testament to how the pupils embrace the key values and aim to move forward in life as a community not as individuals.

DEPUTY HEAD GIRL - MENTAL HEALTH - AYMEN DAR During this academic year, pupils have endeavoured and worked diligently despite the difficult circumstances; however one matter of great concern has been the impact of Covid-19 on mental health. I have had the privilege to be able to conduct a survey at the beginning of the year to investigate this matter further and to find out how Covid-19 had changed daily life (such as online learning, lockdown, and restrictions on meeting others) affected pupils at Sherborne. The results expressed that many pupils have recently felt more stressed, anxious, and have experienced difficulty with sleeping. As well as this, many revealed that they had not spoken to anyone about this and did not know what to do to cope, which was very worrying. Therefore throughout this past year, the school council and staff have worked hard to implement different strategies to aid pupils. This has involved the introduction of the services of a school counsellor for those pupils requesting additional support and offering a well-being curriculum during P.E lessons to focus on promoting more physical activity and mindfulness at home. During tutor time, pupils have further been able to reflect on different ideas such as personal growth, the importance of sleep, stress management and focus on the link between nature and mental health during mental health awareness week. Overall, I believe that one thing I, and many others have come to realise, is that school is much more than the building we spend our time in. It is the people we meet, the friends we make and the teachers and staff who support us that makes our learning and growth as individuals so much greater and, despite the restrictions in place, we have all kept on going and tried our very best. Everyone has been impacted in one way or another by Covid-19 and so it is now more important than ever to make sure that we continue to take care of our own mental and physical well-being as well as being supportive to others in these challenging times.

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HEAD BOY - OLIVER KINNAIRD-BARR Having been appointed as Head Boy for the 2020-2021 academic year, it has been a pleasure to have been able to be part of the school’s leadership team and have the ability to work closely with many teachers and pupils. I am proud to say that the flexibility of our pupils to adapt throughout many different restriction announcements, from 100% online attendance to blended learning, has been an immense effort. It has tested us all and has shown the mental toughness of Sherborne Qatar’s pupils. Personally, one of my favourite moments of this year was finding out the different ways that some of the forms were keeping busy to overcome this, from learning about taxes, job applications and other key life skills to doing a ‘keep fit’ activity each week or all pupils joining in to play a ‘form game’. Every pupil at Sherborne Qatar has displayed the school’s value towards resilience. The blended learning has been incredibly tough on everyone from the teachers to the pupils. It is clear that everyone has been working hard, especially in the Lower School, as their timetable of 3 50-minute lessons, with a 50-minute break, followed by 3 more 50-minute lessons must have been testing. Those of us lucky enough to be in Year 13 were given the opportunity to come into school every day, due to the smaller class sizes, and had the ability to go back to some sense of normality. The ultimate test of our resilience as a pupil group came after the April break, where we had to go back onto 100% online teaching for the holy month of Ramadan, and this marked the end of the blended learning. Although many pupils in Key Stage 4 and 5 had important, end of year style assessments, all pupils managed to work hard and show a great deal of resilience in the face of adversity. Whilst many clubs have had a difficult time this year due to Covid-19 restrictions, Sherborne Qatar pupils have continued to perform to the best of their ability in their PE lessons, as well as representing Sherborne outside of the school in the few sporting competitions and teams seen this year across Qatar. Many conferences like school meetings, the Model United Nations and the Medical Club have shifted online, with an increased frequency of presentations, allowing for more pupil involvement. The ability of our pupils to adapt and overcome during these difficult scenarios show dedication, hard work and resilience, and I am sure that it will set them up well for the future.

HEAD GIRL - AMIRA ISMAIL The School Council at Sherborne Qatar is salient in ensuring pupils are given a voice. At Sherborne Qatar we ensure that the School Council gives all pupils the chance and support to take action, improve the school and foster student’s creativity. One of our cornerstones for success is ‘education for life’, as part of Sherborne Qatar’s broad-based curriculum that extends well beyond the confines of the classroom, one of the initiatives which the School Council focussed on was fostering student engagement. Specifically, through encouraging and raising awareness of animal welfare. Another of our cornerstones is ‘friends for life’ best seen in our house system, through this the School Council placed strong emphasis on this initiative in the fortnightly house meetings while also during tutor times to ensure good pastoral care and that each house strives to be the best; encouraging allegiance to the house as a great motivator for both pupils and teachers to push for greater animal welfare through activities and competitions. The School Council is firm on community involvement as a vital component by helping to fundraise and donate to the local animal shelter, Second Chance Rescue. As Head Girl, being one of the leading figures chairing the student council consultations, I worked to encourage the Sherborne values to enable members of the School Council to fully embrace the success, in particular focusing on the value of perseverance hand in hand with responsibility. Through fundraising and donating to Second Chance Rescue, the School Council aimed to teach the importance of animal welfare education as a key element to help pupils develop and nurture the Sherborne’s core values of respect, kindness and responsibility. As a senior member of the School Council, I was committed to fundraising for the vulnerability of animals in Qatar and the necessity of humane education in order to help to lessen the instances of animal abuse and suffering. Throughout the period of fundraising, presentations were used to harness empathy to improve not only animal welfare, but overall emotional health in children encouraged by the Sherborne Mission Statement. 54

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Ebunoluwa Adewumi, Year 11

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

ONE YEAR ON Just over a year ago all Qatar schools were told to close because of the Covid-19 pandemic and so began what has been a very different learning journey for staff, pupils and parents. Schools faced the challenge of enabling their pupils to continue their education through remote learning and later, through blended learning. This was a challenge which was enthusiastically taken up by our teachers, pupils and parents. The senior school responded strongly and, during blended and remote learning, all lessons were live, interactive and recorded. The senior school’s main priority was to provide the highest quality teaching and learning despite the COVID-19 restrictions. Pupils in Years 7 to 12 attended school every other day, while Year 13 attended school every day. Whether at home or in school, pupils had 5 hours of academic instruction each day plus pastoral time and well-being support. One year into the coronavirus pandemic, we have had an opportunity to think about the experience we are all sharing and we are realising that it is creating an even stronger sense of community. We may not have the whole school community together at the moment but, in a very tangible sense, we are as united as ever, working in unison to provide the best education we can for our children. When we are able to resume normal schooling it will be with a renewed sense of optimism for the future and with the knowledge that the school’s belief in the human spirit, its values and particularly those of teamwork, perseverance and kindness have seen it overcome the challenge of these difficult times. The school’s approach to the pandemic was praised by parents who shared with us wonderful comments of appreciation.

During the year of remote and blended learning I gained new technological experience and extended my education. Being able to adapt to change and me being able to stay safe the entire time. I enjoyed being able to complete school work on my own time and put a structure to the day. It taught me responsibility and perseverance. I learnt to become more independent and to manage my workload. Despite not being able to come into school every day my work has been progressing smoothly. It was difficult in the first couple of months but I gradually got used to the new routines. Attending school is much better though as I can concentrate more

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Rachel Hallet, Year 11 57

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

PROMOTING HEALTH & WELL-BEING The Covid-19 pandemic has tested all of us in terms of our mental health and physical well-being. Uncertainty around being able to travel and see family and friends, combined with gym and pool closures, as well as limits on gatherings and sporting activities have had a significant impact on activity levels and our ability to socialise. It has never been so important to support each other and look after ourselves. In response to this, Sherborne Senior school has introduced just some of the following measures: o Joined the Well School community and had regular Well Schools articles in our weekly parent bulletin. o Accessed BUPA Foundation Well-being for Educators training for all staff and peer mentors with a particular focus on positive things that maintain energy levels and develop a positive mindset. o Introduced a well-being curriculum through physical education with a focus on ‘socially distanced’ physical activity, diet, posture, mindfulness and other areas to promote healthy lifestyles. o Supported pupils to GET EXAM FIT and think about areas such as being more sleep aware, and also worked with Public Health England to develop lessons highlighting the links between mental health and physical health. o Delivered a health week with a focus on ‘Express Yourself’ through lessons and House activities. o Raised awareness around International Mental Health Weeks with a recent focus on the power of being connected to nature. o Trained all staff in the Resilience Doughnut model with a view to rolling this out across the whole school. o Spoke to the School Council about how we can support mental health and asked all pupils to complete a Mental Health and Well-Being survey through the School Health Education Unit based in Exeter. Some of the key results, which will form the basis of our return to school pastoral care and recovery plan, include:

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The following figures are based on responses from 402 pupils, including 232 in Key Stage 3 and 172 in Key Stage 4/5. ESTEEM: - 64% of pupils responded that they ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ that they feel positive about themselves. - 77% of pupils responded that they are ‘quite’ or ‘very’ good at playing with other people in a team, while - 89% said the same about listening to other people’s point of view. MENTAL HEALTH: - 84% of pupils think mental health and well-being should be taught at school. - 33% of pupils said they would like to learn about mental health in discussion groups and 35% would like to learn about it in group activities. - 47% of pupils said they would speak to a friend if they were worried about their mental health or the mental health of another pupil, while 33% said they would speak to someone at home. PE LESSONS, SPORTS AND EXERCISE: - 81% of pupils responded that they either ‘enjoy’ or ‘really enjoy’ PE lessons. - 92% of pupils responded that they believe being physically active is important. - 83% of pupils responded that they play or do one or more of the physical activities at least ‘weekly’. - 48% of pupils responded that they go for walks at least ‘weekly’; 35% said the same about riding a bike. - 40% of pupils responded that they would like to start or do more swimming; - 39% of pupils responded that they belong to a sports club out of school. SOCIAL DISTANCING AND STAYING AT HOME: - 48% of pupils said it is true that having to stay at home more due to coronavirus has improved their relationship with their family and 69% said they have found easy ways of communicating with people (such as video calls). - 49% of pupils think they have been more careful to look after themselves now than before COVID-19, while 29% said ‘it’s about the same’.

Rachel Hallet, Year 11 59

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DEPARTMENTS 60

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ARABIC & ISLAMIC

The Arabic department welcomed Miss Lina and Miss Zolfa to the department at the beginning of the academic year. ‘At-ta’leem-almudmaj’ or blended learning in English, a term that many of us may not have come across before, became the working norm for us all at the Senior School. The new working environment provided both the teachers and the pupils with many hurdles and challenges. Teachers quickly got up to speed with the new technological demands and we are proud of all of our pupils who adapted and progressed with their learning using Microsoft Teams and Microsoft OneNote. During the course of the academic year the Ministry of Education inspectors visited the department on three separate occasions and were complimentary of our work, which is always pleasing! Although we were unable to celebrate Qatar National Day in our normal razzmatazz manner, the department did organise a virtual celebration during tutor time, with pupils singing the National Anthem together, watching national day celebrations of years gone by and taking part in an interactive Kahoot quiz.

During Ramadan the department organised a weekly competition for Qur’an recital, calligraphy and a short story writing. Well done to all those who participated, especially Maryam Ghaly, Faris Bata, Junaydah Safiya - winners of the Qur’an competitions.

It has been a testing time for us all, we hope that we are able to return to having pupils back in class from the beginning of the next academic year and that we can all return to having some degree of normality in our everyday lives. Finally, we say goodbye to Miss Lina who is leaving the Senior School to join the Girls School. We all wish her the very best and hope that she will still come back to visit us from time to time. Jamil Rahman Arabic & Islamic Studies Teacher

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Sarah Hamud, Year 11

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

ART

Tunde Peter, Year 11

This year we are dedicating the Art & Design edition to the young Shirburnian artists who have, for over 18 months created art in very difficult circumstances, during the ongoing pandemic. ‘It has taken two years to complete my course and with the sudden lockdown it has been challenging to say the least. With limited supplies, I was forced to experiment with whatever media was available at home. I was greatly inspired by the attitude Sherborne Qatar had towards the sudden lockdown and this encouraged me in the face of many obstacles, which included staying motivated and ensuring my sketchbook was filled with quality artwork. By managing my time and taking regular breaks to ensure I had inspiration, I was able to continue creating artwork. I learnt different skills and techniques and how to manage my time independently. With guidance from teachers, and with continuous practise and failures, as an artist I have triumphed over adversity’. Sarah Hamud, Year 11 GCSE Art pupil The words of Sarah Hamud, echo not only the challenges faced by GCSE pupils but that of all the young Shirburnian artists from Year 7 to Year 13. The very nature of the subject is to physically create and the pandemic has meant it has been made even more difficult to make Art. As reflected in the core values, and in the enduring spirit of our young artists, pupils at Sherborne have persevered, and again this year have truly created some astonishing artwork in the face of adversity.

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Uneiza Haque, Year 11

Molly Lashley, Year 11

Uneiza Haque, Year 11

AlJori Al Kuwari, Year 11

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

BUSINESS

Theodore Roosevelt once said, “There can be no life without change, and to be afraid of what is different or unfamiliar is to be afraid of life.” Part of the foundation of being a successful business is developing the capacity to adapt to change. Our main challenge this year was trying to ensure that pupils continued to be enthused by their interest in the study of business through blended and online learning.

In the first half of the year, pupils in year 10 begun their new journey into the world of business and economics. With these IGCSE subjects being new to most, they begun to explore the key themes relating to the success and failures of businesses and the global economy. After learning about the different marketing techniques used by businesses, pupils in year 10 were tasked with an interesting “Dragon’s Den” project.They had to identify a gap in the market and create a business plan presentation for a new product or service. Our adoption of blended learning meant that pupils had to engage in discussion with members of their group through Microsoft Team meetings. The maturity displayed by all pupils enhanced the experience and developed creative ideas such as, self-lacing shoes and a futuristic fitness app; all of which we hope can become world best-sellers.

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Sixth Form pupils were fortunate to have a Zoom call with Kazeem Balogun, a UK based real estate entrepreneur. Via the video link, he discussed with the pupils the key fundamentals of developing a business in real estate and the impact the current pandemic has had on his organisation. This helped pupils to link back to areas of the syllabus to develop their understanding of topics such as investment appraisal and corporate objectives. The current economic climate has been a perfect stimulus for a lot of our lessons this year, as our pupils have begun to think about how the economy will recover from the pandemic. Pupils in Key Stage 4 have discussed the impact that this has had on the labour market and government intervention. Whereas, Key Stage 5 have focused on the impact that this has had on globalized companies and the future of foreign direct investment. It is with immense sadness that we say goodbye to two members of our team this year, Mrs. Williams and Mrs. McGinley. Both of these teachers have made tremendous contributions over the years to the business and economics department and will surely be missed by all. We would like to wish them the very best of luck as they depart us for pastures new. Leon Collins Business Studies Teacher

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

ENGLISH

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‘I wish it need not have happened in my time,’ said Frodo.‘So do I,’ said Gandalf. ‘and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide what to do with the time that is given us.’ The above quote from Tolkien who wrote: ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’ is just so apt as it describes the sentiments of both staff and pupils at Sherborne when addressing the challenges of the past twelve months of teaching and learning. September 2020 saw us all embrace an entirely new approach to education as we moved to blended learning and as teachers, we were happy to see at least half our pupils physically in the classrooms every day. Teams has had its challenges: ‘cameras on, please’ became the perpetual mantra from teachers; followed by, ‘Miss, my mic/camera/Teams/Internet’ isn’t working’ as a typed comment in chat! The English department had to come up with innovative ways to do group work, read aloud from virtual reading texts and create resources that would lend themselves to blended teaching. We are proud of the pupils’ willingness to endure our questions like: ‘How do I get back to the main screen, Year 9s?’ or ‘How do I split my screen?’ interspersed with: ‘Can you all see that?’ I do hasten to add that some of the English department staff took to the new technology like ducks to water, but for some of us it has been a challenge. One positive outcome of this experience is that all of us, pupils and staff alike, have definitely become more tech savvy! This year, one of our goals for the Key Stage 3 pupils was to expose them to literature that was culturally diverse and from September 2021 we will be working closely with the history department to do some extensive cross-curricular work that will develop this idea even further. Year 7 pupils recently read ‘Chinese Cinderella’ – a true autobiographical account of a woman growing up in China. The pupils were fascinated by the Chinese traditions described in the text. Year 9 pupils read ‘Refugee Boy’ by Benjamin Zephaniah, a novel about a boy who flees Ethiopia to seek asylum in England. Earlier in the year, they had also read ‘Iqbal’ which is a true story about a child labourer in Pakistan. All these texts have had the effect of making pupils more aware of other cultures and broadened their general knowledge. The Year 8s ended the academic year by looking at dystopian literature, which turned out to be extremely foresightful, given the current COVID-19 situation. Evidence of their poetry on this dystopian genre is to be found on the next few pages. Congratulations go to Tiara Osiago who was the winner of the competition for the best poem. Year 10 and Year 11 pupils have had the dubious privilege of studying George Orwell’s novel, ‘1984’ and it couldn’t have been a more appropriate choice, given the restrictions globally that the pandemic has created. It really has been a challenging year, culminating in the late cancellation of the CAIE examinations for Years 11, 12 and 13. As staff, we have nothing but praise for the resilience, fortitude and perseverance that our pupils have shown throughout the year. I am writing this hoping that September 2021 will herald a return to some semblance of normality in education. As Maya Angelou once said, “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” Lastly, it is with regret that we have to say goodbye to Mrs Estelle Jones who has been with the English department for five years and has taught a range of year groups and pupils during her time at Sherborne. Mrs Jones is an incredibly dedicated, hardworking and talented teacher and both her colleagues and the pupils will miss her greatly. We wish her well and hope that she stays in touch. Linda Castaldo Head of English

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The True Utopia Extinction A crow! It squawks, a call so harsh, it flies Above a rush of blue, and soaring high, Waves crash against the rocky shore, and tries To reach the stars. It leaps and waves goodbye. The hiss of wind and roar of sea, forlorn. No laugh. No cry. No voice around. How odd! The world, now hollow of humans’ adorn, Felt cold. A silent crime, extremely flawed. Towers erected from the sand and stone, Lay futile on the darkened, weary soil. A pungent, metallic stench of our own, Their blood a palimpsest of human toil. I jolt awake, from false to true and sigh. I hear the distant calls of birds up high. By Tiara Osiago, Year 8

Alike but different Me and you are very similar You live trapped in your own thoughts I live in a free environment You can look at the shoes that walk by I wear those shoes that walk by you The colours you see are darker than mine The colours I see are lighter than yours I hold that pencil that will lead me to a future You hold that pencil that scratches the wall. However… You have the same heart as me You have the similar features as me You have the same rights as me BUT… Privilege is the right we do not have in common Me and you should be equal But we aren’t We are the same but different. By Stacey Boctor, Year 9

At last peace, justice has been served. Finally, something we’ve all deserved. Humans being treated as they should. Oh, how back then we misunderstood. No matter what your ethnicity, culture and race, you won’t be mistreated in your place. How did we live in a world with all this brutality? Oh! How our society has changed drastically… No more worrying about surviving the year; as your justice has appeared. No more having the fear of worry; as your justice is quiet glory. By Faye Al Assadi, Year 8

The Evil Desire Horrendous storms howling and a ferocious fire, Screams fill the air but nobody cares. The vast red sea will never stop coming And neither will the blood and tears For these people are immortal And their torment is eternal. They will always be stabbed and pierced by spears, Unfortunately, they cannot hide from their fears. Day comes, night falls, the torture goes on. Nobody’s happy, everyone’s blue and forlorn. The world’s full of injustice, Even the innocent are punished. People gossip, people backbite, people are insolent. Everyone is woeful Except for the evil, which is gleeful. By Sharifa Khadija Shah, Year 8

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Refugee

Backstory

They go to seek protection But are rejected once again They try to join a community But are treated as the enemy They try to escape violence Yet they are harassed They run away from the evil Yet they are treated the same.

Travelling through a storm, Hopeless heads dropped in dismay, Where can we go, gunners everywhere, Leave your house, your childhood behind, ‘Why would you do that?’, you have no idea. ‘At the end of a storm, there’s a golden sky’, Or so they say, sipping their dew, Like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, they haven’t got a clue. Gunshots everywhere, louder than thunder, Leave the country, or die in regret, But we kept on going until we couldn’t anymore, Rain wearing us out, mud drowning us, Eventually we bailed, running like ‘heroic’ soldiers, Abandoning family, heritage and friends. ‘But it’s not that bad, at least you have food’, Like a fish on the line, they haven’t got a clue. Drenched in sweat, plummeted from mountains, Fatigued from action, dead inside, We wanted to rest, but there’s nowhere to hide, Collected all hope, like water in a desert, And we kept going, fighting hunger, Watching our backs, lest anyone surrender, ‘But it’s not that bad, at least everyone made it through’, Like Minotaur in the maze, they haven’t got a clue.

No matter where they look They’ll always be treated as foreigners No matter what they do They’ll always be treated as different However they try to change Their image stays the same. They’re treated badly at home, But when they run it’s more of the same. Legally they are accepted But the people make them feel shame, Even when you are innocent You are still blamed, The black sheep in a white flock The shiny new land is only a placebo. By Mohamed Abdelrahman, Year 9

By Imad Mosharraf, Year 9

Emma Soukri, Year 11 71

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A rainy day in Shanghai I slip and slide over the slippery floor, rain lashing against my exposed face, desperate to get home. The clouds thunder and boom above in the endless sky, surrounding me from all sides, leaving me defenceless against their anger as they continue tormenting me. The rain creates figures in front of my eyes, blurring my sight as I try to charge through this monstrous weather. A few moments later, I black out, my mind shutting down completely. Tall buildings loom over my exhausted body, glaring down at me. As I regain consciousness, billboards temporarily blind my feeble eyes. When my sight recovers, I straighten my back, determined to get home. Mother must be waiting for me; I have been missing for hours now. I find myself wishing for an umbrella, my clothes and hair are drenched. Squinting through the foggy air, I watch in envy as small children splash about gleefully in the water. Sighing, I wonder if my life could have been as simple as jumping in a puddle on rainy days. Imposing lampposts flicker on and off as I scramble past, trying to find someone to give me directions. Tripping on a grimy, used raincoat, the pavement embraces me once again. Lumps of wet mud cling to my clothes, like a crying baby to its mother. Upon instinct, I peel off my wet jumper, leaving me in my jeans and sweatshirt. Moments later, they too are drenched and, if possible, my hair feels even wetter. Water seeps onto the pavement and the streets start to flood, water rising by the second. Panicking, I rush up the street, hoping to get to higher ground as the water rises faster and faster. Eventually, I reach the park and suppose that I will have to make do with this. Quickly reminiscing about the sweet memories I had made in this area of what previously seemed like natural beauty, I climb up one of the tallest trees to assess how the threatening water and monsoon winds have affected the city. People flood into parks and higher areas. Windows and doors of homes are boarded up, their inhabitants most probably hoping that their feeble attempt of resistance against the weather will suffice. Cars are submerged beneath pools of water in the streets, water cascading down areas that haven’t yet been flooded. I can only hope that my mother is safe and unharmed. As plants wither and wilt, dying all around me, I seek refuge in the hollow, sheltered trunk of the tree I am in, wishing for this treacherous weather to be over soon. By Kulsoom Syeda Rizvi, Year 7

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The doctor’s report from Act 5 of ‘Macbeth’ To whom it may concern, This doctor’s report is a request on behalf of King Macbeth. My patient is Lady Macbeth, she is a 32-year-old woman who is ‘5’4”, and the wife of the King. Once I had arrived at Dunsinane Castle, I asked for assistance from Lady Macbeth’s gentlewoman to observe her movements for the time I was there (two days), and it appears that she is suffering from somnambulism which is a technical term for sleepwalking, and nyctophobia which is when someone has an extreme fear of the dark. I have come to this conclusion as her symptoms are very similar to the original symptoms of somnambulism. My assistant has reported to me that firstly, she would rise from her bed, throw her nightgown upon her, unlock her closet, take forth a paper, fold it, write upon it, read it, afterward seal in her closet, and return to bed. All in her sleep. These are all symptoms of somnambulism, sleepwalking, and being unaware of her surroundings. We know that she is unaware of her surroundings as during our recent appointment with her majesty, we both tried to speak with her but she did not seem to detect us. Another symptom of the disease is sleep talking which is something she does too. Although what she says is something I forbid myself to say, she seems to be talking to something or someone. She also seems to be disturbed and have a guilty conscience. As well as this, my assistant informs me that she insists on having a lit candle with her at all times which is a major sign of nyctophobia. There is no explanation for this but she seems to be rubbing her hands as if she is washing them and rubbing something off them. The gentlewomen notified me that she washes her hands them for fifteen minutes straight, and occasionally she would scream at her hands telling a ‘spot’ to leave. There is no evidence for this but I suspect she may be seeing illusions from her past memories. As for medication, I do not have one in mind. That is why I recommend a psychiatrist, these doctors study the mind in depth. As for now, I would suggest that someone always watches her, and if any new symptoms appear please inform me immediately. Although there is nothing to worry about, as I know of people who sleepwalked and died holily in their graves. Doctor Henry By Aya Ortashi, Year 7

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Describe the day the storm struck. The sky was strangely peaceful that day. Blue and cotton-filled, it felt like any other day. Except for one fact. The beautiful, soft-feathered pigeons that would often be heard cooing away with their comforting voices, were nowhere to be seen. It was quiet, disturbingly quiet. Slowly, the brims of the pure, white clouds began turning an ashy grey until they were painted grey like a drop of murky watercolour slowly spreading throughout. The sun was nowhere to be seen. A scent filled the air; the scent could only be described as dust being thrown up, earthy yet dull. Unlike dust, however, the air was eerily damp, almost suffocatingly so. The sky, once blue, now looked like a shadow had engulfed it. It was dark, too dark for this time of day; like someone had pulled the curtains shut on the world. And still, it was quiet, bone-chillingly quiet. It was quiet, until, firstly, a sharp ray of electrifying light zapped through the delicate clouds, forming a large, brilliant, bright white crack, splitting the sky into two. Then, a loud, crashing sound pierced through, only a split second late. The sound was like the deep, husky grumble of a large, other-worldly beast. The silence was fully broken, only to be followed with the heavy, sudden downpour of miniscule crystal beads which, instead of crashing into a thousand pieces upon hitting the concrete earth, sank and spread apart, forming tiny splats across the porous pavement. One after another, the droplets built upon each other, forming puddles which continued to grow larger and larger; each drop disturbing the puddles, causing ripples to form across in all directions like rings representing the echoing rush. Flooding rivers began to form. The crashing thunder and bright lightning continued to follow one another, forming an unsettling song, lacking any melody and rhyme with a random, incoherent rhythm. Dancing along to the chaotic mixture of sounds came the wind, breaking through each tree and rustling every leaf. The wind whistled, loudly but not pleasantly. The whistles morphed into high-pitched cries and then heavy growls carrying with it the scent of pouring crystals and eroded soil. The trees shook violently, their stability threatened by the roaring wind which weakened their foundations, leaving their large, wild roots holding on for dear life. It was as if the skies were waging war against the earth and the trees were casualties caught between the crossfires. The storm raged on for hours and hours, feeling like an eternity. Life was nowhere to be seen. The birds and the squirrels had long since disappeared and hidden away and the flowers that once grew amongst the thick, green patches of grass were mercilessly ripped away by the ferocious wind. Not much was left, besides the piercingly tall buildings which seemed unbothered at first but were now being challenged by the winds, growing in strength. The buildings had begun to wobble ever so slightly before shaking more and more. The skies knew no mercy and this war saw no end in sight. This was only the beginning of greater destruction. By Sajidah Osman, Year 11

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The Journey I am going to die in ten minutes. I can't die now, not with my new-born baby; not when Alice's life is in danger. Grief hovers above me like an immense cloud of icy, angry rain. I just needed more time. A chance to prove myself and prove to everyone in the courtyard that my life is worthy to be saved. The life that will soon be dangled in front of me in mockery by the judge. By the oppressors. By everyone in this courtyard. I am going to die in nine minutes. My shackled feet, heavy with dread bring me closer to the end. The end of the journey. To that noose across the courtyard and the end of this beautiful journey of life. Curse these feet. As I emerge into the yard, light encompasses me; it embraces me, as though it would not give me up to the darkness of death. But I am going to die in eight minutes. By Maryam Ghaly, 10E - Maab Elsheikh, 10A - Haneen Ortashi, 10C

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

This year has brought a number of challenges as we continue to face a global pandemic. The pupils have persevered, shown resilience and grit through blended and remote learning in geography and have produced some fantastic pieces of work on Teams and OneNote. The geography department had some amazing results last summer in our IGCSE and IAL courses which increased the popularity in the subject across Key Stage 4 and 5. This success alongside many others has been attributed to both staff and pupils hard work and dedication. In Year 9, as the pupils learned about the physical and human geography of China, we also covered topical issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and discussed the implementation of policies, the timeline of the pandemic and mapped the geography of how COVID-19 emerged and spread globally. In Key Stage 5 we have been delighted with the enthusiasm and dedication of our Year 12s whilst they have been learning about Global Challenges and Hazardous environments. The Year 13s continued to prove that they are conscientious learners as they grappled with the challenge of writing a 60 mark report on Tectonics for Unit 4 in timed conditions, through blended learning and continued to impress with their evaluative skills in essay writing. As we continue to partake in the Eco Schools programme Jamie Wollaston and William Selwood in Year 10 represented Sherborne Qatar in the annual Portal Conference hosted by the American School of Doha which united schools across

GEOGRAPHY 76

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the Middle East on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. They were commended for their efforts and how Sherborne Qatar Senior School is making a positive change within the school environment to meet some of the Sustainable Development Goals. Meanwhile, our classes across Key Stage 3 also worked on a variety of different sustainable development projects. In particular, to mark World Water Day which is celebrated every year on 22nd March, Ilyas Ahmed delivered an excellent presentation to raise awareness on the importance of everyone having access to clean water. A subject which is extremely personal to him, as he explained how many of his family and friends in his home country do not have this basic necessity. He encouraged his peers to take action today by making small changes in their lives so they can appreciate the blessing of having clean water. The Geography department is incredibly proud of our pupils, they have coped tremendously with another difficult year and have continued to be global citizens. Asfia Malik Head of Geography

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HISTORY

Pupils have coped admirably with the challenges of both blended and remote learning this year. We have all mastered the art of uploading work on Teams and working using an online notebook.

We did not want to miss our annual Remembrance Day Assembly so Miss Martin worked with a team of dedicated history pupils to pre-record their submissions, editing them alongside video clips sent in by members of the armed forces community to create an outstanding assembly that also recognised the contribution that so many people have made to the fight against COVID-19. While we may have had to adapt our working methods, we have not wanted our pupils to be adversely affected. Therefore, we have worked hard to find alternative methods and solutions and have not being disappointed by the results. Year 13 pupils have studied The Cold War and Hot War in Asia and the growth of the Civil Rights movement from Emancipation to Obama’s Presidential victory. They have been challenged with Harkness lessons on the policies and personas of Kennedy and Johnson, interpretation essay questions and having to use sources as a set to evaluate their usefulness for a particular enquiry. They held online debates, had to nominate candidates for the American Civil Rights Hall of Fame and defend their nominations to ensure

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that they were included in the top 7 individuals who made outstanding contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. Meanwhile, Year 12 pupils have grappled with the challenges of AS Level work and with the depth of essay answer required for both the essay and source analysis questions. They have enjoyed extending their knowledge of Nazi Germany and studied a whole new topic on South Africa. They welcomed the offer from Ms. Castaldo, Head of English, to do an online interview with her about the time she spent in South Africa to enhance their understanding of their study of South Africa during the apartheid years. They posed astute questions and discussed the effects that the apartheid laws had on everyday life. In Key Stage 4 we have been delighted with the resilience and enthusiasm of our pupils. They have risen to the challenges of the highly timed nature of the iGCSE examination questions, coped with answering timed questions online and asked insightful questions on topics varying from the Ku Klux Klan and Cuban Missile Crisis.

Our Key Stage 3 pupils have also immersed themselves in their studies and produced some amazing work. Year 7 pupils made outstanding presentations on aspects of Roman life, informative posters on the legacy of the Romans and gave heartfelt speeches as the main contenders for the throne in 1066. Year 8 pupils confronted the dilemmas Elizabeth I faced over whether she should marry or not and made an audio play of the execution of Charles I. Meanwhile, Year 9 pupils examined life in the trenches, the impact of World War One and created party political broadcasts for the major political groups that existed in Russia before the 1905 Revolution. The history department is very proud of our pupils. They have coped remarkably with another difficult year and produced so much exemplary work. Gillian Gregory Head of History

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL Year 13 Nominations for the Civil Rights Hall of Fame 1066 Contenders for the Throne. I am William of Normandy and here is why I deserve the throne. The truth is that I was King of England by Right of defeat. Although, I still have a better hereditary to claim to the throne than either Harold or Harald. Neither of them was a blood relative of Edward the Confessor, but I am. Edward’s mother was Emma of Normandy, a sister of my grandfather. Emma sent her children to Normandy. Therefore, Edward spent most of his childhood in Normandy and all his friends seem to have been Normans. While Edward cannot tell us who he would want as king, it seems that I would have been his choice of choosing a successor as a Norman. He certainly would not have wanted to be succeeded by Harold Godwinson, who had no royal blood, and was always disagreeing with his choices. I have also been promised the throne from Edward, and I am capable of fighting Harold and Harald to keep the country and the King position safe. Edward had promised me the throne and Harald was not related or not promised the throne like me and my strong army will be able to protect this country with whatever or whoever attacks. I hope I can become the new leader and help our Country. By Dana El Gody 7A ‘Hello there! If you don't know me, it's Harald Hadraada and don't ever mix me up with that other Harold. Now, why should I be King of England? Well, if you know your history, you'll know that England has been ruled by Vikings for many, many years until people like you took over which makes me a true bloodline to the throne. Those other ones William and Godwineson, they aren't worthy. What do they have? Promises they we don't even have proof of? No, they need skills and experience like I have, they haven't ever been king. I've trained armies, have they? I know what it's like, I know how to lead, I know how to control, solve and everything else that comes in it. I don't think those gentlemen know one of those. Thank you.’  By Yasmin Kerwat 7A

The Romans left behind countless inventions and ideas from the day the flourished up until they disintegrated. Some creations were startling complex buildings like aqueducts and roads up to everyday life objects like newspapers and Roman Numerals (the even created laws). luckily, their legacies can still be seen and used by future generations.

Aqueducts Aqueducts were ponderous, bridgelike canals that transfer far water sources into towns and cities. They continue going through houses and villas to supply the users with water for baths, drinking, household, latrines, washing clothes and washing the dishes. This striking invention was the main water resource that everybody depended on.

Roads The romans were mostly known for their breath– taking roads that stretched up to hundred of thousands of miles. These invincible roads are still in a staggering shape like they have not been used before. Adding to that, some of the roads in the modern days are attached to the roads the Roman invented! Not only that, they also had drainage systems!

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ICT AND COMPUTER SCIENCE

Never have we encountered such a situation where the whole school community continues to depend fully on technology. Technophobia, a psychological barrier to the use of new technologies is a phenomenon that nearly every person has encountered. Humans are known to adapt, and we have all done extremely well to come over this and better our lives. Zoom Video Communication’s share prices jumped by 75% since 2020 and it became a norm in every household. Many businesses continue to struggle but a lot of technology companies have seen a rise in value and demand. The Office for National Statistics of the UK claims that around 46.4% of the London population worked from home at some point in 2020. At Sherborne, we moved with Microsoft Teams and it has been a very helpful tool to gear us during this pandemic. Blended learning has been very successful and the whole school community became accustomed to OneNote, online assignments, live meetings, and online files. It tested pupils’ organisational skills, independence, and agility.

Even though online learning has been a tremendous success for many people, some are still struggling to cope with this mechanism. Many pupils find technical issues with their laptop or internet to be a big hindrance, but others are silently encountering stress, self-motivation, and time management issues. Adequate breaks must be taken, time is spent outside exercising or brisk walking, and above all, do not hesitate to speak to your teachers, parents, and friends about it. In KS3, pupils are starting to get a stronger grip on computational thinking, where they write programs using both block-based and text-based programming. The balance between a more visual and colourful programming language such as Scratch to a more mature and industrial standard Python helps our young inquisitive minds to understand how algorithms are written. Besides coding and algorithm, KS3 pupils have had the opportunity to create fascinating 3D drawings and develop their skills with spreadsheets and databases. We ensure that their expertise goes beyond the classroom and

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that they use it productively in the future. During an investigation of the Mars Perseverance rover, Year 9 found it fascinating that it has 15 times less processing speed than our standard smartphones. Future and emerging technologies such as AI form part of our syllabus for KS3, 4 and 5. Pupils develop an acute awareness of the current and future alongside effects on people and society. At KS4 and 5, we continued to offer both ICT and computer science with an excellent success rate. It’s encouraging to see that majority of sixth formers who have chosen ICT or computer science have gone on to university to study it further. The field of ICT and computer science continues to grow rapidly with innovation in the field of medicine, engineering, farming, finance, and many others leading to the creation of many jobs and successful careers.

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MATHEMATICS The Mathematics Department has been incredibly proud of all our pupils adapting to the challenges of remote learning. The use of technology to facilitate learning has increased exponentially within the department this year, with pupils utilising Microsoft Teams and Microsoft OneNote as well as using online platforms such as drfrostmaths.com and diagnosticquestions.com to undertake tasks. The online platforms have benefited the pupils considerably, offering valuable support throughout the year. Although remote learning can favour independent work, the department has used features to enhance the pupils’ learning experience by utilising breakout rooms within Teams and the Collaboration page on OneNote for group activities. It certainly has brought an increased enjoyment and individuality to lessons. With the majority of extra-curricular activities cancelled this year, we were, fortunately, able to run the UKMT Junior Mathematics Challenge online for a second successive year for selected pupils in Year 7 and 8. The challenge encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems. We hope the pupils enjoyed the challenge and we will be sharing the results very soon.

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Looking ahead to next year, we very much hope we can return to offering our weekly lunchtime Maths Clinic. The clinic provides support to pupils where teachers are on hand to answer questions. Additionally, we will also be planning to run our Mathematics Challenge club during enrichment for KS3 and KS4 pupils, where pupils are challenged to answer numerous problem-solving tasks. As we draw to the end of another academic year, we would like to take this opportunity to wish our leaving pupils the very best in their futures and to ask that they do keep in contact as we would love to hear how they are getting on. Finally, with great sadness, we say goodbye to two members of our team this year; Miss McGowan and Mr Curneen. Both have made a significant impression on the department with their high level of subject knowledge and enthusiasm for mathematics. We wish them all the very best in their future careers. Andrew Robinson Head of Mathematics

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MEDIA ‘Mistakes are proof you are trying’ - Jessica Lim

Media studies is not just about learning new and exciting technical skills, it is also about appreciating the skill and creativity which goes into the production of media texts. Just as analysing the different techniques used in the creation of a poem or novel helps you appreciate the talent of the writer, so does learning about media techniques help you appreciate the skill with words and pictures that the creators of a media text have to possess. The media studies department has continued to develop since it began three years ago at Sherborne Qatar. With continued achievement in Years 10, 11, 12 and 13, we are successfully running an AS level and A level course for Years 12 and 13, and BTEC courses as an option for pupils in Years 10 and 11. This success of this department is proof of the dedication and commitment of pupils taking media studies. Throughout this difficult period of the pandemic, Sherborne Qatar is incredibly proud of the pupils – especially as they are learning a completely new subject, under very difficult circumstances. 86

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A Level pupils in Years 12 and 13 have studied a wide range of media topics and produced a wide range of development work for a music video. Media studies pupils have been introduced to challenging theories such as postmodernism and media regulation; they have developed a wide range of video skills including using green screens and video editing techniques. They have also been tested through their production work both in learning Photoshop skills and producing their own website. As well as learning communication theories and developing their understanding regarding the production of meaning, pupils have produced publication work to a professional standard and developed a wide range of other skills including photography and digital image manipulation. BTEC media studies pupils in Years 10 and 11 have also gained a wide range of media skills. Detailing research methods and techniques, developing production ideas and learning production skills for print and advertising have been among some of the areas covered by pupils in these year groups. In addition, pupils have developed their digital presentation skills through the various software packages available. They have learned how to promote an idea and use technology to make their thoughts and suggestions more persuasive and interesting. To accomplish this while spending so many lessons learning remotely, the pupils have demonstrated the values of perseverance and responsibility. These cornerstones of the school’s ethos have, again, held the pupils in good stead as they have continued to succeed in such difficult circumstances. Andrew Leeder Lead teacher of Media Studies

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES (MFL)

‘Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continues that counts’ - Winston Churchill …and courage to continue, we have all certainly needed this last academic year! ‘Pandemie, virus, confinement’… ‘mascarilla, gel de manos, vacuna, cuarentena’……words we never thought we would use, let alone teach! No one could have ever predicted that one of our main concerns would be how we could model pronunciation behind a mask, be understood behind a visor or understand your pupils at the end of microphone. The Languages department at Sherborne has always been proud of its interactive and kinesthetic methods of teaching, social distancing and remote learning will have been incommensurable challenges when wanting to maintain the fun in MFL. With bare classrooms and quiet corridors, the languages department was eerily quiet… no running or getting out of chairs, no cuddly toy flying across the classroom, no treasure hunt… but this did not last long… Soon Miss Cobo’s Year 7 were singing and she was shouting encouragement into her computer, Ms Arándiga’s Year 8 were dancing on the spot, Ms McKend’s Year 10 were becoming virtual teachers, taking over Teams for the lesson and Year 11 Sherborne Qatar pupils were going on an exchange to Dorset, travelling virtually on Mrs. Khayari’s French airline! But, far from being defeated by a global pandemic, Sherborne’s pupils and teachers rose to the challenges and truly supported each other through it all and learnt many invaluable skills, as well as languages along the way, as reflected in these quotes from pupils: “This year hasn’t felt like a compromise. I believe that we have taken advantage of every chance we were given to make this year an academic success” “Through this year, we had to learn to adapt to a completely different style of learning languages. While this included some negatives, we were still able to grow our love for the French language and culture through the teaching techniques of our teacher” “We have had a fairly different year, from when we could write on the board, play card games, and have other forms of interactive learning. Despite this, I feel that the MFL, and the school as a whole, has adapted to an amazing extent. One thing that I loved particularly about this year is how lessons are still kept interesting and how we have discovered new yet effective methods of learning as a class.” “Throughout the year, we have done many things in French. When I started Year 10, I thought that I would simply learn more advanced French. As time progressed, we did more than that. My favourite activity was the project on food, we were simply asked to create a mind map on all the food classes. It was a fun and simple activity and I found it fairly interesting.” “Despite lockdown, I found the online lesson fun and interactive. Occasionally, we also played Kahoot and other games to revise which was helpful.” “It has been very difficult adjusting to the new way of learning, but I think we have managed with the new situation well and have learnt countless things from this. For example, all teachers and pupils have learnt a lot about technology which has improved our learning drastically because we can have all our notes organised online.” 88

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SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

PERFORMING ARTS DRAMA

Drama is a subject which revels in social interaction. Our lessons typically comprise of teamwork, physically improvised acting and reacting and confidently projected communication. As a practical subject, learning drama remotely is a challenge to say the least. It requires trust, risk taking, an enquiring mind and creativity. This is no easy task when sitting in front of a camera. It has been encouraging to see the pupils of Sherborne Qatar take on this way of learning with focus and determination whilst supporting their classmates. The drama team have been especially proud of pupils who have led by example with their cameras switched on, communicating confidently throughout the lessons. Seeing you and hearing your contributions always brightens our days. It has also given us the opportunity to find new, exciting ways in which to be creative, the result of which being the production of some excellent work and a new perspective. Our GCSE pupils have shown their tenacity in order to produce some thought-provoking performances. They have had to approach their learning with an open mind to overcome some of the challenges they were faced with and have adapted well to a different way of exploring ideas and being creative. This year pupils have been introduced to analysis and evaluation of professional theatre performance. In Year 7, pupils have developed their understanding about how to effectively use their voice and they have used their skills in order to communicate a story and create suspense. They have also been exploring 90

vocal techniques and physicality in different types of theatre such as Commedia dell’Arte and have explored moving around their own homes in character as these comedy archetypes who have influenced so much of the performance we know today. Year 8 and 9 have had the opportunity to get behind the lens to create a movie trailer to engage and excite an audience as well as producing an original scripted radio drama. In post-production they have explored visual and audio effects within the trailer and radio editing process. The Year 8 puppet theatre has given us some welcome moments of comedy and light relief with pupils exploring different styles of puppets and children’s scripts. We have seen some outstanding work from Year 9 in their devising projects where they have been given a glimpse into some GCSE work. From a given stimulus, they created original pieces of theatre in an abstract form in order to make the audience feel a particular way. This has really highlighted the skills they have developed throughout the whole of KS3 and have been a real pleasure to see! We hope that the pupils take the collaborative and creative skills that they have learnt over this year and use them to become even stronger when they return to physical learning. Becki Wolfe, Head of Performing Arts Sam Arts, Head of Music Edward Hake, Head of Drama

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SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

PERFORMING ARTS MUSIC There is a reason music is found in every known culture. Music moves us on so many levels. When listening to music that you enjoy, dopamine, the ‘feel good’ chemical and serotonin, the ‘happy’ chemical are released into your brain giving you a sense of pleasure and boosting your mood. With the pandemic never far from our minds, music has proven to be another way to alleviate stress and anxiety. We are delighted that at Sherborne Qatar, our pupils have managed to continue their musical development and education, even when faced with the challenge of blended learning. It has not only been used as a welcome distraction from daily routines, some pupils have excelled in shaping their performance and composition skills by exploring new, innovative platforms in which to be creative with. In Year 7, pupils have been developing their understanding of the elements of music and families of instruments. Through listening and analysis they have applied their learning to compose music which tells a story and have been performing percussion pieces in the style of ‘Stomp!’. Year 8 and 9 have engaged in a variety of exciting topics in which they became composers for the movies as well as learning about different rhythms from around the world. The pupils had the opportunity to explore the music and traditions from a country that is personally significant to them, sharing their work with others and broadening their understanding of different cultures that are important to their classmates. We saw some excellent, insightful presentations and all learnt something new! Our GCSE pupils have persevered with their creative journey throughout this year and there has been an increase focus on the use of music technology to produce some excellent original compositions and performances. We are proud of the progress that they have made and the committment they have shown despite the challenging circumstances. We have continued to hold concerts and recitals, albeit virtually, with pupils performing from home and socially distanced in our auditorium. Some of our pupils even went to a recording studio to get their best quality performance! We have showcased compositions, original songs, exam performances and performances simply for pleasure from both experienced and novice musicians alike. We love the watching our pupils grow and flourish in this unique part of the curriculum and hope that they will develop a life-long interest in Music.

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BOR N E

SHERBORNE QATAR RADIO

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

QATAR

“If you wish to build a ship, do not divide the men into teams and send them to the forest to cut wood. Instead, teach them to long for the vast and endless sea” - The Little Prince Passion projects inspire pupils to discover, and through that discovery they find lifelong learning strategies that not only boost attainment across subjects, but serve to produce thoughtful, industrious, and reflective people. Sherborne Qatar Radio was simply about handing over the creative control to pupils and putting their learning in their own hands. Selfishly, we grown-ups get to shed our ‘teacher’ label and become ‘guides’ ‘facilitators’ ‘critical friends’ and that is the gift these talented, able and committed pupils gave to us. An authentic pupil led, pupil created and pupil produced work of passion, is the gift they give to the school. (Teacher Support Team) Sherborne Qatar Radio is a team effort, ably led by Sofia Rouzier-Spinks and Syed Muzammil Abedi in the Green Team and Henry Kakkad and Muna Faisal Fahad Al Thani in the Blue Team Muzammil is the Green Team’s deputy show manager: “Sherborne Qatar Radio is a unique and original idea led by the hard work and determination of Sherborne pupils. Sherborne Qatar Radio creates stories from all aspects of the world and makes it into one 20-minute podcast for everyone to listen to and learn from”. For Henry, the Blue Team show manager, the show represents the pupil voice: “We cover all things which pupils are interested in and news from around the school, with pupil 94

performances where they can express themselves and show off their talents.” …and it is not just the final product that is part of the projects learning: “All of this is met by a large pupil-led team working for days to create a perfect podcast with engineers, writers, editors, and many others putting in countless hours of effort and showing their perseverance through this fantastic journey. Not only has this made pupils feel connected in times of distress but it has made every pupil who has worked on this project become better team members and leaders.” Green Show manager, Sofia, agrees about the benefits the show has had: “During the long months of the pandemic, this radio has not only brought people together, it has given the pupils something to look forward to. Each department in the radio has contributed all their efforts to create these podcast for people to enjoy and they should all be very proud of themselves.” As far as Muzammil is concerned…this is just the beginning: “This Year we have achieved 4 podcasts, each one building on the other and we hope next academic year we can release even more podcasts and hopefully even better ones! “

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You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him discover it in himself. - Galileo

SCIENCE The science department at Sherborne had a great year off the back of some amazing IGCSE and IAL results last summer. This success, alongside many others, is attributed to both staff and pupils’ hard work and dedication. We have seen a huge uptake in A Levels for the three sciences, during this academic year making us one the most popular subjects in the school, showing that pupils at Sherborne are passionate about the sciences, which is music to my ears! The science team have worked really hard to ensure that pupils continue to enjoy the subject and we hope our upwards trajectory continues.

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This academic year we successfully continued with our medical club super curriculum, giving pupils who are passionate about the sciences an innovative opportunity to present TED style talks on various areas in medicine. We were treated to topics ranging from Dissociative Disorders to Acute Myeloid Leukemia, and I was truly blown away by the quality of these presentations. My personal thanks to our president and vice presidents of the medical club, Rodina Elbih, Kashmala Afridi and Hadeel Dossa, for the pivotal role they played in organising and promoting the talks to ensure high participation. Congratulations to all pupils who received Gold, Silver and Bronze awards for their attendance. Like many subjects it has been a real challenge with teachers and pupils adapting to blended learning, especially with a practical subject like science. However, I have admired our pupils’ determination to make the best out of a not so ideal situation. I have been particularly impressed with observing many practical lessons where pupils have played the role of a teacher, expertly demonstrating practicals for these watching from home. In one particular Year 10 chemistry lesson with Mrs. Sultana, it was brilliant to watch pupils showing displacement reactions for their group members who watched from home. Pupils at home were asking questions and were engaging with the lesson, while those in school explained the practical to them. In another Year 8 class with Mrs. Williams, it was fantastic to watch pupils participate in an exercise practical as part of their breathing and respiration topic. Three of our core Sherborne values are perseverance, responsibility and teamwork; our pupils have demonstrated these values, many times over this year which is why Sherborne Qatar is such a special place to be a part of. On behalf of the science department, I wish all our excellent pupils further success as they navigate their journey through the world of science at Sherborne Qatar. Salim Malik Head of science

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SOCIOLOGY & PSYCHOLOGY In the first half of the academic year, Year 10 psychology & sociology and 12 psychology pupils really got to grips with their new subjects at GCSE and AS Level. Year 10 psychology pupils were introduced to many theorists such as Dweck, Willingham, Gunderson and Piaget. They explored the importance of upholding ethics by forming an ethics committee and made recommendations on Johnson’s ‘Monster’ study and Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment. The Year 10 sociology pupils have learnt about culture, identity and socialisation, theory and methods, and they are now studying crime and deviance. They have also been introduced to many sociologists such as Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx and Talcott Parsons. Pupils have turned their hand to presenting the main methods used in sociological research. Year 12 psychology pupils have studied research methods and twelve core studies including Milgram, Canli et al, Andrade and Saavedra & Silverman. They have also created their own research projects and replicated Andrade’s doodling study. It really was a case of picking up where we left off with Year 11 psychology and sociology. Pupils have been so resilient they have dealt with the challenges posed remarkably well. The Year 11 psychology class completed the topics of social influence, criminal psychology and language, thought and communication. They replicated Yuki et al’s experiment to family and friends which posed the question “Are the windows to the soul the same in the East and West?” The Year 11 sociology class completed their syllabus and wrapped up the units of social inequality, education and crime, deviance and social control. The second half of the academic year has brought some challenges with remote learning, however pupils have continued to amaze me with their resilience, creativity and hard work ethic. Going forward, the next academic year will see A-Level psychology and AS-Level sociology being introduced. All-in-all it has been a very successful and enjoyable second year for the psychology and sociology department. Nuala Reid Sociology & Psychology Teacher

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AlJori Al Kuwari, Year 11

SHIRBURNIAN SENIOR SCHOOL

PHYSICAL EDUCATION It has certainly been an unusual year in physical education, with the subject impacted more than most by the restrictions caused by the pandemic. Despite this, we will look back on this year with pride at how adaptable and resilient both staff and pupils have been, with plenty of positive moments emerging from difficult times. Firstly, we were one of the first schools in Qatar to offer practical PE lessons to pupils and it is likely that Sherborne pupils have taken part in more PE than most other youngsters of their age across the country. The restrictions meant that we needed to look at alternative activities to those traditionally taught, and the PE staff were delighted with how pupils engaged with the new variety of activities on offer. Pupils have participated in activities which have developed skill and fitness, allowed them to be mindful and use physical activity for relaxation, as well as attempt to strive for their personal best performances. Using physical activities to develop higher order thinking through problem solving has been another key feature of lessons. When physical lessons were not possible due to all pupils learning from distance, the focus of PE lessons shifted to health and well-being. Many important messages about leading an active and healthy lifestyle were covered in detail during online lessons. These messages cannot have been delivered at a more important time, as the pandemic led to young people spending more time sedentary looking at a screen, and finding it increasingly difficult to be active with the closure of sports facilities and practices. The PE department have spent a good deal of time helping pupils to remain active no matter what space or equipment they have available. The PE magazine, shared with pupils through Teams, has offered dozens of ways to be physically active in a small space. Teachers have enjoyed receiving evidence of pupils taking part or taking on one of our challenges. It has been a particularly tough year for our examination PE groups at both GCSE and A Level, as they collected evidence of their practical performances in very difficult circumstances. We commend their efforts to do so as effectively as possible. Looking forward, we are very hopeful that next school year will bring the opportunity for PE lessons to return to some normality and pupils can begin to enjoy interacting with each other through games and enrichment activities.

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AlJori Al Kuwari, Year 11

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ENRICHMENT

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CROSS COUNTRY Four junior school pupils represented Sherborne at the Aspire Cross Country challenge at Aspire Park in the early Spring. The event was organised by the Aspire Academy giving our pupils the chance to challenge themselves against their athletes. All pupils gave a good account of themselves showing lots of determination and spirit.

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has been working hard since the beginning o

e has managed to walk over 105km meaning she has walked an challenge. After 15 days she SHERBORNEQATAR.ORG has managed to w his month. A fantastic effort so far, keep it every up everyone! Harry, average of 7km day this month. A fantas Grace The and Nour willtheeach receive asecond FIFA Wo receive a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 branded power bank three pupils did school proud coming overall. Playing the 9-hole Committee course this was the courtesy ofour the Supreme forfirst Deliver ommittee for Delivery and Legacy and friends at Generation ever competitive golf tournament for Harry and Rory. Amazing. Please see Mr claim your gif All three boys played someKeefe excellentto shots, but just efe to claim your gift. as importantly, they supported and motivated each

GOLF

other throughout. Ultimately, they deserved their second placed finish, with ASD in first place and Park House in third. Jack finished third in the individual placings. We hope other pupils will be inspired to Pupils remained in the enrichment swing with tryfthe Golf extake peup rieand nce or game. pupils in Year 4 to 8 - #PLAY school golf festival.

AEhandful of pupils from Year 4 to Year 8 enjoyed n Year 4 tois 8a -game #PLthat AYlends LIFEitself BEtoTTsocial R Golf session at the state-of-the-art golf centre at Ed distancing and with us being unable to run ar 4 to Year 8 enjoyed a golf taster enrichment clubs this year, Sherborne Qatar Golf Club on Monday after school. Club profess has been encouraging pupils to seek out art golf centre at Education City Steel and Rachel Choi ran the session which co opportunities to be active in the community. of the facilities, followed by tips around the school. Club professionals Martin A handful of pupils from Year 4 in Prep to Year contact with the ball and fading the ball. the session which a tour 8 in Seniors enjoyedcovered a golf taster session in 2020 at the state-of-the-art golf centre by tipsOctober around theClub. grip, swing, at Education City Golf Club professionals Pupils from any year in Sherborne (Year 4 and Martin Steel and Rachel Choi ran the session ding the ball. which covered a tour of the facilities, followed sign up to a 4-week ‘Play to Par’ junior pro by tips around the grip, swing, contact with Mondays the ball and fading the ball.

after half term from 4.00pm, starting erborne (Year 4 and above) can October 2020. Sessions last an hour and inclu The following month, Sherborne entered the y to Par’ junior on and balls. The cost is 135QR per session Qatar School Golf programme Tournament at Doha clubs Golf Club. The team included Rory Van Eckbeing andth asked to pay the Golf Club upfront be om 4.00pm, starting on the 26 Harry O Donnell in Year 8, both of whom session. participated in the golf taster and went on to

st an hour access to join theand ‘Play toinclude Par’ programme at Education City Golf Club. Our third member of the 135QR per session with Sherborne team was Jack Tobin parents in Year 11, lending his experience and encouragement. olf Club upfront before the first

Please sign up directly with the club by emailing Rachel Choi, PGA Golf Professional rchoi@ecgolf.com Tel: 5046 0390 or Anthony Ciara, Head Professional, acaira@ecgolf.com (el: 6693 0050. If Mondays are not convenient, the Golf Club has a range of other junior sessions which can be found on their website ecgcplaytopar.golfgenius.com or www.ecgolf.com. 105 Alternatively, please contact the club office on

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RUGBY SUCCESS Qatar Rugby selection success for Sherborne pupils. Sherborne Qatar Senior school was delighted to have four pupils selected for the Under 20 training squads for Qatar Rugby during the 2020-2021 season. Norain El Gebely in Year 11, started training four times a week with the women’s national side in preparation for the West Asia Cup against UAE, Lebanon and Kuwait, amongst other teams. The event, subject to COVID-19 safety measures, will hopefully take place in October 2021, having been delayed from May 2021. If Norain makes it on the pitch she will become our first current female rugby international. A talented all-rounder, Norain has only been playing the game for a year, which makes her progress even more remarkable. In the men’s team, Omar Abdelaziz in Year 13, also only started taking up the game since joining Sherborne last year. He has shown considerable determination and commitment to rugby, also training with Doha Rugby Club before switching to the Camel’s this year. All clubs have contributed significantly to his progress, as he continues learning and developing his knowledge of the game.

Meanwhile, brothers Oliver KinnairdBarr in Y13 and Sam Kinnaird-Barr in Y12, have overcome significant injuries to deservedly take their place in the squad having been standout performers for both the school and Doha Rugby Club in recent years. They have helped set the standard of performance expected and shown real leadership qualities. The Under 20 men’s event is also currently scheduled for October 2021. Sherborne Qatar is extremely proud of all these pupils and we look forward to adding them to our roll of International Honours.

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SPORTS LEADERSHIP LEADERS OF TOMORROW In 2018, Sherborne Qatar Senior School became the first school in Qatar to offer the Level 2 Qualification in Community Sports Leadership from Sports Leaders UK. This is an internationally recognised award which focuses on gaining employability skills through leadership. The 5 main employability skills involved are communication, self-belief, teamwork, self-management and problem solving. To achieve the qualification, pupils need to complete a Learner Evidence Record (LER) and show evidence that they understand the difference between leadership skills and behaviours, audit their own leadership skills, plan and deliver inclusive coaching sessions and events, and complete risk assessments. They must complete a leadership log covering a minimum of 10 hours leading of sport/physical activity. In 2018-2019, seven pupils achieved their certificate having volunteered at events such as the Doha 2019 World Championships Athletics and 2019 Doha Golf Masters. Our second cohort, who actually started the award in September 2019, have arguably achieved something all the more remarkable showing determination and resilience to complete the course despite lockdown, blended learning, and not to mention the many restrictions on PE lessons, physical activity and sports. I am, however, delighted to announce that the following 8 remarkable pupils have been put forward to receive their certificates. In recent months, they have helped to deliver a range of active House events and Olympic challenges showing clear planning, co-ordination and communication skills. They are role models in every sense. Kashmala Afridi, Year 12 Areen Al Hyassat, Year 12 Suhaib Baalousha, Year 12 Hadeel Dossa, Year 12 Oliver Kinnaird-Barr, Year 13 Samuel Kinnaird-Barr, Year 12 Aaron Swindell, Year 12 Daniel Ventorim, Year 12

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We hope to be able to offer more leadership courses in 2021/22 and beyond, working in collaboration with Generation Amazing and in the build up to the Arab Cup 2021 and Qatar 2022.

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CHESS In spite of the pandemic, chess at Sherborne Qatar is going from strength to strength. Although pupils haven’t been able to enjoy the enrichment club or compete against other schools as in previous years, the online tournaments have come into their own. The three tournaments this academic year have attracted record numbers of players from the whole school community. Pupils, teachers, support staff and parents have battled it out amongst each other as the standard of chess has steadily improved. September saw the start of the first tournament with 40 players. Mr Kinlan and Mustapha Ghaly (Year 7) soon made their mark, with the wonderful Flo from support staff keeping her spirits high (as always!) in spite of some early setbacks. Less noteworthy was Mr Arts who, after some particularly poor play even by his standards, fell by the wayside early on. The closest match from the group stage was between Saaim

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Umer (Year 9) and Mr Ranglall with the latter finally managing to come out on top and qualifying for the final. Tournament regulars Mr Tracey and Niranjan Muthaswamy (Year 11) played some particularly good chess and deservedly made it through as well, along with Mr Roberts who was playing in his first final. Mr McKendry was eventually crowned winner, with Shek Chong (Year 9) a very close second and Mr Carbin (father of Jorja in Year 8) in third. The competition continued in Term 2 with tournament newcomers Mr Oldridge and Jay from support staff coming up against some very stiff opposition early on. Isabela Ventorim and Ella McMahon (both Year 10) played some great chess in the group stage and were unfortunate not to make it through to the final. The standard of chess in the early rounds was particularly high (with the exception of Mr Roberts), causing some big upsets and seeing pre-tournament favourites Mr Ranglall and Mr Hamlin crash out before the final. Ali Elbih (Year 9) and Youssef Ibrahim (Year 8) stood out in the latter stages, upping their game considerably. Hamza El Sayed (Year 8) also had an excellent tournament, not only making it through to the final for the first time but for finishing a very impressive 4th place. In the final throws of the competition, Shek Chong got his revenge over Mr McKendry for the first tournament and was a very worthy winner. The third tournament began in March and, due to large numbers, had five groups in the first stage and a ‘busy’ 10 player final. Brothers Ibrahim and Ilyas Ahmed (Years 11 and 9 respectively) played some excellent chess in their first Sherborne tournament, as did Mohammed Abdelrahman (Year 9). Omar Al Masri and Oliver Mills formed part of a very strong 8E contingent and would have made it through to the final had it not been for the excellent standard of their group. This was a similar story for the ever popular Mr Tiongson who, nonetheless, was as gracious as ever in defeat. The final was the toughest, and most exciting to date, with the top three undecided until the last moves of the tournament. In the end however, the podium went to the 2020-2021 overall winners: Mr Carbin (top parent), Mr McKendry (top teacher) and Shek Chong (overall champion).

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MEDICAL CLUB When we started the academic year with blended learning, I did worry if the medical club would be able to continue and build on the success from the last academic year. The next question I asked myself, would pupils still wish to participate in our activities? It fills me with immense joy and pride to say we have fifty nine pupils registered with the club and thirteen groups who have signed up for the medical club super curriculum programme. The Medical club super curriculum programme provides pupils with an opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of medical-related topics that go beyond the science school curriculum. At the start of the year, pupils are provided with several broad medical themes to pick topics from and then asked to present a 10 minute TED-style talk to summarise their research. This year we have had some fantastic presentations, from Dissociative Disorders to Acute Myeloid Leukemia. The time and effort pupils have put into their talks deserves praise. My personal favourite was Metabolic Syndromes by Habiba and Sama Year 10. In addition to this, we had four teams represent the school at Weill Cornell’s medical research conference. We want to congratulate the following pupils for making it through to the competition’s finals to be held in December 2021.

Team 1 - Lolwa Al Kaabi, Hiba Ibrahim, and Haneen Hassan Abdeen Fadlall Satti Team 2 - Habiba Shehata, and Maab Elsheikh Team 3 - Sarah Hamud, AlJori Khalid Al Kuwari, Wissal Elnaas, Moza Al Thani, and Hawraa Aljabir Team 4 - Rodina Elbih, Shahd Al Hajri, and Amr Abu Shehab

The Weill Cornell’s medical research conference is an annual competition in Qatar where pupils present research on one of the five themes below: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages Ensure access to water and sanitation for all Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns Understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic This year 18 different schools took part with 41 different teams. Finally, I would like to congratulate the fantastic efforts of the President of the medical club, Rodina Elbih along with our vice presidents Kashmala Afridi and Hadeel Dossa, with the other members of the executive team. They have played such an essential role in ensuring the smooth running of all our events this academic year. They have played vital roles in taking registers for medical club talks, providing support to groups doing their presentations, making sure certificates were completed and raising the club’s profile. 112

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Link between diabetes and mental illness Sarah, Wissal, Aljori, Moza and Hawraa Mr. Salim Malik Sherborne Qatar smalik@sherborneqatar.org

Methods

Background Every year the cases of diabetes increase in concerning amounts. With 15.5% of Qatar’s population diagnosed with diabetes, it is the most common disease in Qatar. The most common risk factor is obesity, but genetics and ethnicity play an important role as well. From our survey results, that were based in Doha, Qatar, 40.9% of people were diagnosed with a mental disorder after being diagnosed with diabetes, which is a noticeably high percentage. As the numbers keep increasing, we thought it would be highly beneficial to research the links associated with diabetes and mental illnesses. A chronic illness like diabetes and the recent spread of COVID-19 can adversely affect a person’s well-being. We explored the links associated with mental disorders and high blood sugar levels. The ultimate aim of the survey we carried out (anonymously) was to identify the patterns and relations within the survey replies and to understand from a scientific perspective how diabetes can truly impact the well-being of an individual. We have researched the scientific evidence linking the symptoms and complications to known mental illnesses, the importance of raising awareness to people around Qatar, and we have developed an app that 74% of diabetic patients in Qatar requested according to the ministry of public health (MOPH).

Our main objective was to identify and discuss the interrelation between diabetes and mental health and the severity and impacts of both illnesses on one another. As part of our research, we conducted a survey that included questions outlining the difficulties of coping with diabetes such as the dietary changes, mental and psychological strains of the illness, workload, and financial burden. We consulted some doctors at Sidra hospital and resources online to curate the most effective questions that will give us most instructive information regarding the disease. This data was based on real experiences of diabetics living in Qatar. Our survey was distributed to some schools and workplaces across Doha, in order to accumulate data that was spread over the two gender groups and a range of ages. Once we gathered 50+ replies we had enough data to move forward with our research. From our survey we gathered that 33% of our participants feel there is not enough emotional support for diabetics and many expressed worries about their illness and COVID-19. Therefore, from this we would like to reinforce the importance of spreading awareness about such a severe and common disease. Furthermore, we had reviewed various articles that discussed the complications and risk factors of certain mental illnesses and their significance to blood sugar and insulin resistance, a major contribution to diabetes. Ultimately, our group decided on creating an instructive App designed specifically for diabetics that will send notification (Medications on time, amount of water, daily exercise etc) based on their custom profiles and elevate their moods based on it They will also be able to log in symptoms and mood if they wish too. With this application we hope to assist them and give them the support they need.

Results SURVEY RESULTS

SURVEY RESULTS The pie chart and bar graph both show the same data. We can see that most people’s lives with diabetes have been changed a lot. These sudden changes in diet, energy levels etc is what could cause mental illness.

These pie charts show the percentage of patients with mental illness before and after being diagnosed with diabetes. We’ve identified an increase of 20% of patients with mental illness after diabetes. Supporting the idea that diabetes increases rate of mental illness.

This graph shows the ranges of mental disorders mentioned in our survey. We can tell from this that the most common disorders are depression and anxiety both of which adversely affect blood sugar levels.

Conclusions

To summarise, we believe we successfully used the extent of our resources to further reinforce the strong, and harmful link between diabetes and mental illness. Most of our results from all age groups had similar answers that strongly supported our idea that factors like the pandemic and the constant monitoring of food intake associated with diabetes can induce several mental illnesses and vice versa. Again, we need to mention how crucial it is that we ensure as many people as possible around Qatar realise how much this can affect a person. Its also important to note that Mental health can largely influence a person's day to day life so with diabetics its important to try to reduce the factors that contribute to decaying mental health so that their well-being and overall state is well managed. Our solution, that may help to bring some relief to a diabetic person's life, is this app called blue circle. This prototype that we developed (inspired by the blue colour used in diabetes awareness month) will aid an individual in the day-to-day tracking of many factors that may affect their illness and overall mental health and well-being.

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Future Research: As for financial strain in terms of treatment costs, patients who lived outside of Qatar reported financial difficulties. 93% of them report that their financial situation has improved since moving to Qatar.

Our biggest weakness was the number of replies in our survey. In hindsight, more responses would mean more accurate results. Although, we did do everything we could with the resources available sending the survey out earlier would have been a huge bonus. We believe interviewing a few diabetics from different age groups would have also given us more insight and helped our precision. In the future, we would like to see the effect of our application and if it has helped improve diabetic’s mental health and well-being. That means we will be contacting our app users and comparing our data from 2021 a few years down the line.

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Water sanitation and water wastage Maab Elsheikh, Habiba Shehata Sherborne Qatar, senior school smalik@sherborneqatar.org

Methods

Background 1.We will: present several factors regarding water production in Qatar including water wastage and sanitation

•

Attain results by the consensus of the general public and consider the results as part of research

2. We have conducted both secondary and primary research including qualitative and quantitative research to attain insight on how people view water in Qatar

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The consideration and opinion – along with our research - of both residents in Qatar and in other developed regions will help us develop a comparison between two countries

3. We found out that the majority of people agreed that water is vital in a household (evidence shown below)

•

Different ways in which each country prevent water wastage and how water is preserved

Results Primary research

Comparing our primary research with secondary research

Insight on the problems people find around water production

“‘Water accessibility is an issue in water production around the world" - state one other issue in water production in Qatar”.

in Qatar:

“State one comparison or difference between water production/supply in the UK and in Qatar”. “Qatar has one of the highest domestic water consumption rates in the world; Qatari households consume approximately 430 liters of water per day on average.” https://www.futuredirections.org.au/publication/food-and-water-security-in-qatar-part-2waterresources/#:~:text=Qatar%20has%20one%20of%20the,water%20per%20day%20on%2 0average.

Conclusions In conclusion we found out that the main problem surrounding water production in Qatar was to do with water wastage and cost effectivity as most households depend on two sources of water ( tap water and bottled water) The fact that we are going to be using one source of water will reduce the amount of water waste per day, specialists presume that water can be reduced by 70% if there is one source of water

Future Research: For our future research we would like to look more into water sustainability and how we can help amend this issue. We want to make sure people are aware of this matter and clear up the misconceptions regarding tap water

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COVID-19 and Teen Mental Health in Qatar Rodina Elbih, Shahd Al-Hajri, and Amr Abushehab Sherborne Qatar Mr. Salim Malik; smalik@sherboreqatar.org

Introduction

In recent years, mental illness has been increasing rapidly, especially between teens,

Methods

To investigate the previous focus of our study - depression and anxiety in teenagers of Qatar - we prepared a questionnaire

due to multiple reasons. In this study we will focus on how Covid-19 has potentially

based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 criteria for depression and anxiety. The questionnaire

catalyzed this problem (Betty Pfefferbaum, 2020), and the impacts that come with it.

was released in November - December (two months) 2019 and shared to students in years 10 - 13 in order to gather results.

The effects of mental health is continuously affecting many adolescents in Qatar. We

It included a range of questions that inquired into things such as stress levels, sleeping patterns and other factors that

believe that Covid-19 has been a major cause in making mental health issues in those

affect mental health. A total of 169 responses were collected in the 2019, that were then formatted to come to 130

aged 15-19 significantly worse, this study attempts to collect information from teens

responses. This initial research was intended to be presented in the Weill Cornell conference in 2020 but didn’t get the

around Qatar and reflect on how their mental health has interchanged during the pandemic, there are about 197,000 people aged 10-19 in Qatar (statista research department, 2019) furthermore we looked into how schools and the environments which they reside in have also had an effect.

Mental illness comes in many forms which cause different emotional and physical reactions in respect to anxiety and depression, which we chose to look into as they are

chance to due to the COVID-19 outbreak. In preparation for this year's conference, we didn’t want our previous work and results to go to waste, and in light of a global pandemic a new focus to our study was formed: The effect of COVID-19 on the mental health of teenagers in Qatar. Same questionnaire released in 2019 was used for reliability but a few changes were brought forward to accommodate the questionnaire to the new focus of our investigation. The vast majority of the questions from the previous survey were kept for the purpose of reliability, a few were taken out such as “I have problems with friends and or peers in school” because it didn’t aid an enquiry into our new COVID specific aim. We then added a few questions relating to COVID specifically, how it

the most common types of mental illnesses present in teens (Betty Pfefferbaum, 2020);

affected familial, social and academic life - all the while being cautious of the length of the questionnaire to ensure it

making our study fixated in how Covid-19 has impacted teen mental health in Qatar. We

doesn’t bore the respondents and affect their answers. As the previous one, it had open as well as close ended questions.

are aware that mental illness can manifest at any time in our lives (World health

This new and polished version of the survey was once again released to students in years 10-13 for two months (November

organisation, 2017), although we specifically believe that Covid-19 has been a trigger for

to December 2020). A total of 176 participants took part in this version of the survey.

multiple individuals, we are looking at how this has impacted teens, regardless of

After the gathering of these responses, we had to make sure our results were comparable, due to the difference in sample

gender, race, and religion; we are looking at the risk factors that may impact teens’s

size this had to be sorted. Firstly the data from 2019 was formatted to come to 130 responses, then with a random number

potential to thrive and how this may create a correlation between adolescents’

generator, 46 responses were randomly taken out of the 2020 sample (176 - 130 = 46) in order for the sample to be

performance in school and their mental health.

Results

compatible. It was essential for the removal to be random rather than by the researchers to remove any possible individual bias.

Overall, our results were more mixed than we initially hypothesized. For the six main questions - which were the ones most based on the DSM-5 criteria- we equated each agree to a score of 1, and neutral and disagree to 0, this gave us an overall score out of six for each response, with six meaning the expression of depression was most likely. Post-covid, the number of people who scored 6 increased by 37.5%, and the number of those who scored 0 and 1 increased by 60% and 350% respectively. However, the numbers in between showed slight variation with 2 staying the same, 3 slightly increasing; and 4 and 5 decreasing. From this we can infer that

the quarantine period affected individuals differently, some got better whilst others got slightly worse. Further The 6 Main Questions:

supporting this are the responses we got the to the question “How did the quarantine period, if at all, affect you?”

1) “I feel consistent stress due to school

where we got a variety of responses like “negatively, lost motivation for all things including hobbies,” and “I’ve lost

and/or exams.”

weight and started studying more.” However, regardless of this, over half of the respondents felt that their happiness at

2) “I do not want to do things that I used

least slightly decreased ever since the covid-19 outbreak. Additionally, our results also show that after the pandemic, the

to like to do.”

ability to concentrate for more than 35 minutes decreased, and that the ability to concentrate for less than 5 minutes

3) “I have gained/ lost some weight.”

has increased. 77 out of the 130 respondents claimed that their grades had been negatively affected by the pandemic,

4) “My sleeping habits in recent months

which links to the ability to concentrate on tasks. Furthermore, many felt that their attitude towards school was affected

have begun to change drastically.”

negatively, claims such as that it was “harder to focus,” and made them “not care as much” were made by several

5) “I am constantly tired.”

students. However, others also felt their attitude towards school was positively affected, as they felt they had to

6) “I have a bad relationship with my

“concentrate more,” and even that they “enjoy studying more.” Another positive impact was that majority of those who

parents.”

felt their familial relations were affected, felt that it was in a positive way as they “grew closer,” and “hung out” more.

Evaluation&Conclusion

Future Research

It’s important that the reliability and accuracy of our investigation is evaluated as there were a few discrepancies within our method. A major flaw

There are several things that need to be done to ensure that the

within it is that the sample used over the two years was not the same; and this was the price of ensuring the respondents complete anonymity. This

wellbeing of Qatar’s teens is maintained. This includes an in-depth, long-

means that we can cannot confidently say that any changes in the respondents were due to covid as they could’ve been simply a result of the group

term study of the mental health of a large sample of teens aged 15-18,

of respondents being different. Additionally, regardless of the respondents being different, these changes could’ve been due to a myriad of outside

from a wide variety of socioeconomic statuses in Qatar. This would tell us

factors - hence why we deem future research necessary.

not only about what more we can do support the teens that live here, but

What this study provides is the proof needed to show that there is a problem with the mental health of Qatar’s teens, especially with the rise of the

also what the community of teenagers is like and their overall experience

pandemic. Additionally, it is clear through the responses we’ve received that schools need to be doing more to make the students feel supported

living here. All of which is important considering that that age group

through these difficult times.

makes up approximately 3.22% of the population (statista research

References:

department, 2019), and are the nation’s future.

Betty Pfefferbaum, M. (2020). Mental Health and the Covid-19 Pandemic. New England: The New England Journal of Medicine.

Acknowledgements:

Statista Research Department. (2019). Population of Qatar by age group 2019 . Doha: Statista.

Special thanks to Mr. Salim Malik for his support throughout this project,

World health organisation. (2017). Mental health of older adults. Geneva: World health organisation.

and thank you to Weill Cornell for making this opportunity possible.

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Sania Muhammad, Year 9

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DEBATING SHERBORNE QATAR CROWNED NATIONAL DEBATING CHAMPION 2021 The Sherborne Qatar Debating Society is pleased to announce that our Senior Girls’ Team was crowned Debating National Champions 2021. The debate was streamed online and broadcasted on different social media platforms. Huge congratulations to Year 12 pupils Shahd Al-Hajri and Turkia Al Thani and Year 13 pupil Janine Obiri for their outstanding performances at the National event. Shahd was awarded 4th Best Speaker of the league and Turkia 2nd place. Turkia was also awarded best speaker at the Open Grand Final.

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As for the boys, they sadly lost their debate at the quarter final stage but were all exceptional. Congratulations and huge well done to our Year 13 pupils Samer Bugla, Nadir Salimzade, Jai Martin and Adithya Sankar Jaganathan. We are very proud of you all. Well done to Year 9 pupils Henry Kakkad, Mohamed Abdelrahman and Khalid Al Marri who successfully participated in the Qatar Schools Debate League for the Junior section this year. I look forward to supporting them further as they enter the senior section next year. Public Debate Another highlight of this year’s debating season was the participation of one of our pupils in the Public Debate organised by QatarDebate and in collaboration with the National Committee for the Prohibition of Weapons (NCPW). The event was held online between Team Qatar and the top ranked team from the recent Qatar Schools Debate League. The debate was followed with a Q&A session and the episode culminated with the announcement of the winner and best speaker of the debate. This was a wonderful opportunity to witness the talents and skills of Turkia Al Thani, one of our Sherborne Qatar Senior school debaters (member of the National Qatar Debating Team) as the participants discussed a topic of national interest and relevance. Huge congratulations to Team Qatar who won the debate!

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“Winning the national championship was proof that all the hard work we put in paid off. The years of training with support from Miss Khayari and the Qatar Debate international coaches cemented our path to becoming national champions. I am truly grateful. ´´ Shahd Al-Hajri, Year 12 “Spending time on debating helped me understand that teamwork is one of the most important factors needed to achieve the best results. Without teamwork and communication while debating, it is almost impossible for victory to be ensured, and that I will never forget.” Nadir Salimzade,Year 13 “I have been part of the Sherborne Qatar Debating Society since year 7; throughout the years I have participated in numerous national tournaments organised by Qatar Debate along with many international tournaments. I am currently and have been a member of the Qatar National Debate Team for 5 years. Debating is such an invaluable experience; the teamwork, the long training sessions, and tournaments - in the moment it did seem overwhelming however those challenges taught me to push myself and to persevere.” Turkia Al Thani, Year 12 ‘Doing debating throughout senior school was quite the journey. With all the Qatar Schools Debate League (QSDL) tournaments I have attended since Year 8, I can proudly say that the experiences have helped me cultivate my argumentative skills amongst others. Being able to make it as far as the National stage this year is proof of this growth and fills me with pride. I hope to continue pursuing debating at university to further develop these skills that I have learnt. To all younger pupils wondering if you should take up debating, all I can say is you will enjoy the competitions you attend and experiences you will gain if you choose to do so.’ Adithya Jaganathan, Year 13

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At the start of the year, I was asked to fill in for one of my peers for the first Qatar School Debating League competition of the academic year, and I must say it was one of my fondest memories this year. Despite being restricted to an online competition from our homes, myself and my teammates worked extremely hard together, and I feel it only brought me closer with other pupils who I already considered to be close friends. It showed me how effective communication, hard work and teamwork can bear great results. Jai Martin, Year 13 Ms. Khayari would like to congratulate them all for their hard work and commitment throughout the years. Their dedication on numerous long Saturdays, Thursdays after school and half terms has paid off and the girls are now National Champions. Rgizlaine Khayari Head of House and Debating Coordinator

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MUN

This year has been an extremely interesting year for MUN at Sherborne Qatar. For the first time, The Hague International Model United Nation (THIMUN) and Middle School Model United Nations (MSMUN) were held online and as a fairly new MUN member, it was an interesting yet surprisingly astounding experience.

The debates did not stop for a moment with everyone raising their virtual hands the moment the Chair stated, “the podium is open once again for any delegates to speak.” The debates got so interesting that one of the chairs came into the debate and made up a delegation for themselves just so they could join in.

The 7th annual MSMUN conference was held on a new online platform made by the THIMUN organisation. I was the delegate of Australia and participated in the committee Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. The issues at hand were: “measures to promote the rule of law and human rights” and “measures to empower and engage youth to prevent armed violence and insecurity in MEDCs.” When the debating started after lobbying and merging, all delegates were given many opportunities to give speeches, ask points of information (POI) and vote for or against all resolutions. The debates had many ideas discussed such as the banning of guns, the addition of safety patrol all around the countries and the use of social media to get in touch with the youth. On the final day of the conference, SDG 16’s service activity was an International Court of Justice (ICJ) mock court case about Palestine and the United States of America. I was asked to represent the advocacy of Palestine. The debate was astonishing and extremely interesting. The best part of the conference was meeting so many people from all parts of the world and discussing the biggest issues affecting the youth of the world.

The end of the conference was a bittersweet moment with many happy memories it was the end of a fourday conference and many people were sad that it was the end of the conference. Overall, I learned a lot from this conference. It taught me to be a better public speaker, a more confident speaker in a formal environment and was a fantastic experience to meet new people with the same passions and interests as me.

A few days later, I had the privilege of attending the 10th Annual THIMUN conference called THIMUN Qatar X: Climate Action. At THIMUN, I was honoured to be the ambassador of Singapore and was able to attend the committee Human Rights Council (HRC) 1. The conference was held online on the same platform as MSMUN. The main issue at hand for the conference was climate change; this meant every committee had one issue that was about the climate. In my committee, this issue was: “mitigating the effects of damage to civilians due to climate change.” I once again had the honour to be the main submitter for the resolution that my group of delegations had created. This issue set a ground for debates to include topics such as renewable energy, reduction of carbon emissions, and how to promote healthy lifestyle changes to the public. 122

Syed Muzammil Raza Abedi, 8C Despite the different circumstances, enthusiastic Sherborne delegates have put in extraordinary effort in continuing to pursue their interest in leadership. The following events took place via online platform. Congratulations to Gul E Butool Abedi, Joana Khalid El Moghanni, Lolwa Al Kaabi for securing Pupil Officer and Press Team roles this year. We are immensely proud of our Year 12 delegate Gul E Butool Abedi who chaired the recent MUN conferences: Middle School Model United Nations and The Hague International Model United Nations, during the spring break. Head of Secretariat and Service Activities Middle School Model United Nations: The Sustainable Development Goals. Gul E Butool executed her role as the Head of Secretariat and Service Activities. As the Head of Secretariat, she had to ensure the approval panel ran smoothly. This included ensuring that all committees had their resolutions approved in a timely manner and approved resolutions by working with delegates to resolve any issues. She had the responsibility of organising the various service activities taking place on the second day of the conference. This entailed explaining the service activities to the chairs and ensuring they had the needed resources.

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Head Chair of General Assembly 3 at The Hague International Model United Nations: Climate Action. As the Head Chair Gul wrote a research report on the question of ‘measures to help poor countries recover better from the financial impact of COVID-19 through the United Nations Capital Development Fund.’ During the conference, she ensured the smooth running of her committee at all times (lobbying, debate, unmoderated caucus, sessional speakers). She also facilitated debate whilst ensuring that all THIMUN rules of procedure were followed. Gul E Butool has amassed years of experience at Sherborne through her role as the President of the Sherborne Qatar MUN Executive Committee and she has carried out her roles and responsibilities with great aplomb. The 2020 Qatar Leadership Conference November 1-5, 2020. Sherborne delegates attended an array of workshops dedicated to: Communications and Leadership Social and Political Sciences Education Entrepreneurship Humanitarians Ending Global Poverty programmes and projects Climate Action Model United Nations The Sustainable Development Goals Film, Photography, Journalism and Media The 2021 Hague International Model United Nations Qatar X SDG 13 Climate Change 4th – 7th April 2021 THIMUN 2021 was an amazing experience. Although it was online, I learned many valuable skills such as responsibility and leadership. As a part of the press team, I was able to expand my knowledge on the planning of what goes on behind the scenes of THIMUN as well as capturing memories that delegates could look back at. I hope to carry on learning new skills throughout these next few conferences. Joana Khalid El Moghanni Delegates who attended were: Omar Shalaan

General Assembly 1 (GA 1) | Disarmament & Singapore International Security

Adam Suteu

General Assembly 5 (GA 5) | Administrative Singapore and Budgetary

Farah Darya

General Assembly 6 (GA6) | Legal

Ethan Mussell

Commission on Crime and the Prevention of Japan Criminal Justice (CCPCJ)

Japan

Saoban Ul Haque Safavi Commission on Crime and the Prevention of Japan Criminal Justice (CCPCJ Noora Alajmi

Environment Commission (EC)

Japan

MSMUNQ VII, 26-27 March 2021, Sustainable Development Goals and Service During the Middle School Model United Nations Qatar, our younger delegates were introduced to the Sustainable Development Goals. Congratulations to Abdulaziz Darya who participated in Social Development Goal 1 No Poverty and Syed Muzammil Abedi, who joined the Social Development Goal 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. 123

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The week before February half term we welcomed a group of four pupils from Sherborne Girls (Dorset, UK) and their teacher, Mrs. Mackintosh, as part of our exchange programme. The girls experienced local Qatari culture and traditions as part of the Sherborne Exchange programme. This year, we have wanted to continue foster the friendship and collaboration between the two schools. Therefore, Ms. Khayari (in charge of the Exchange programme) organised a virtual exchange with a number of exciting, shared activities, including online debates, house challenges and cultural exchanges. In March we held our first Virtual Cultural Exchange with pupils who paid us a visit. The girls got to interact with their hosting counter partners and shared views on how Covid 19 has affected their education and the impact that it has had on their daily routine from opposite sides of the world. The two groups even chatted about Harry and Meghan latest news. Mrs. Mackintosh, Ms. Khayari’s counterpart at Sherborne Girls, commented: ‘Thank you so much for organising the meetings which I think went really well. It was such a valuable meeting for all pupils and humbling to see how concerned they were for each other – the friendships have continued to build even though we are unable to visit each other. It was a great idea of yours and I felt the pupils interacted really well’.

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In April, pupils from both schools worked on a code breaking competition. The girls at Sherborne Dorset completed it in their boarding House on the weekend and scored 13. They very much enjoyed the mind wrangling and brain teasing that the questions provided. In June, pupils will be competing on a foreign languages quiz. “It was a pleasure reuniting with the Sherborne Dorset exchange girls. Despite missing out on the numerous adventures this year; we opted for online meetings in which we discussed the striking differences between the covid-19 situation in the UK and Qatar. I am glad we all got to speak with each other again” Moza Faisal Al Thani (Y11) ‘I really enjoyed speaking to the girls from Sherborne UK. I especially loved getting to know how their school dealt with covid quickly’. Moza Abdurehman Al Thani (Y9) Any pupil interested in learning more about future Sherborne Qatar exchanges with our sister school in Sherborne Dorset should see Ms. Khayari (Head of House) or email rkhayari@sherborneqatar.org. Rgizlaine Khayari Head of House

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Ebunoluwa Adewumi, Year 11

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HOUSES HOUSE RESULTS The Heads of House deserve a special mention this year for coming up with a range of engaging and innovative House events as we have moved from blended learning to remote learning, and back again. The activities have appealed to a broad range of pupils under the acronym of A TEAMM, which stands for Active, Technological, Employable, Artistic, Mindful and Mystery. The House system is a brilliant way to interact with, and get to know, pupils from other years and has been especially important this year in providing much needed togetherness and connection in response to Covid-19 and the restrictions we have all faced. The overall results table is listed below. These events would not be possible without the engagement of ALL pupils and staff. Congratulations to Moza on another successful year.

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AHMED AHMED AHMED AHMED The pupils and staff from Ahmed House have worked hard this year under exceptional circumstances taking part in the Interhouse competition. Historically our events have been team based, practical, physically demanding and more socially interactive. The challenge this year was for pupils to participate in a socially distanced competition, relying on their hard work, resilience and honesty while taking part in challenges online. Ahmed House staff have done a fantastic job and delivered many exciting challenges which have kept pupils engaged, brought them together to socially interact in online teams, and developed our pupils beyond their classroom lessons. Fun and engagement has been at the heart of our events, which included mystery kidnappings, code breaking exercises, my personal sporting best, guess the teacher/historical figure/place/object, and quizzes testing knowledge of different subject areas throughout our school. The Ahmed House Captains have been fantastic. Samer Baqla is an aspiring young gentleman who is conscientious and has been dedicated to doing the best for our House. Nadeen Yousif Khalil is a young lady who is intelligent and always happy and willing to take the lead. All our Captains and Vice Captains have led by example, participating in planning House events. It has been clear to me that all members of our team, including our Charity and Representatives have wanted to do as much as possible this year to get involved, through our meetings discussing participation and engagement, and by each taking responsibility to lead events taking place in school. I look forward to working with all of our Representatives next year, and to welcoming new pupils who choose to develop themselves through taking leadership roles. The best Ahmed House pupils participate with all members of our House demonstrating kindness and creativity. My favourite memories of Interhouse this year have been when walking into rooms with pupils talking, laughing, and smiling together. Experiencing the creative work done in art projects or seeing how pupils represent themselves through their character boxes. I have listened to teams trying to break codes and analysing clues to solve mysteries. And after these sessions I have received messages from different pupils telling me how they each enjoyed their experiences. By focusing on the similarities that bring us together, as well as the differences which make all of us unique, our House becomes stronger. Life is all about doing your best. If you are blessed with the character to happily enjoy working, learning, exploring creativity and experiencing together, then you can win any competition. Well done for keeping strong and doing your best in Interhouse 2021. One team, one vision! Edward Hake 128

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This year was different to any other year; it was strange and unusual, however Ahmed House still made it incredible to experience. While participating in Interhouse with my year or leading the Year 11s, we showed teamwork and resilience to complete the different quizzes or doing the my personal best activity. I am very proud to be part of Ahmed House who never fail to make me laugh and create such a positive atmosphere. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped whenever they could, I am so happy that I was a house leader this year. Nadeen Yosif Khalil, Year 12 - Senior Vice Captain

Interhouse events have been quite different this year due to the circumstances, but they have still been absolutely amazing. I really enjoy when we all get together as a House and try to solve the various challenges and puzzles thrown our way. Both the staff and pupils have put loads of effort into making these work and it is awesome to see. I have made some great memories from Interhouse, the most recent of which being the guess who, what and where challenge. This Interhouse was so much fun and it was great to see everyone trying to guess the answer before the next clue. I am really proud to call myself a part of Ahmed house and it has been incredible seeing how well everyone works as team this year. Rebecca Mathew, Year 9 - Middle Captain

Interhouse events this whole year have varied between brain teaser quizzes to Olympic challenges. However, amazing memories have been made throughout every Interhouse event. But my favourite memory made was when classes would share their creations they made in the arts and crafts challenge, even though everyone was in different houses. Being a part of Ahmed House is an amazing responsibility, and I am so glad to be a part of it. It is always a blast to have everyone working so hard as a team during events. Yaqoub Bugla, Year 7 - Junior Vice Captain 129

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COOK COOK COOK COOK You would have noticed the expansion of our Interhouse activities covering diverse ranges of pupils’ skills. Indeed, Heads of House have continued to work tirelessly this year to include a complete virtual schedule based on Howard Gardner multiple intelligences theory. With this in mind, Cook House pupils effectively participated in the numerous whole school Interhouse competitions dedicated to ATEAM (Active, Technological, Employable, Artistic and Mindful). I was thrilled to see how hard-working and devoted each of Cook House’s teachers were in preparation of Interhouse as well as our first ever online charity week this year. All members of Cook House passionately took part in Interhouse and this culminated in being a tremendous success by securing the second/ third positions the entire year! Every Cook pupil gave it their best including during the complete remote learning weeks. Huge well done from me to all Cook pupils! I also would like to thank member of Cook staff for an amazing year again! Sad goodbyes to Mrs. Jones who has been a Cook tutor for five years. We wish her all the best. Rgizlaine Khayari Head of Cook House

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‘I have enjoyed my time as House Captain extremely. I have learnt many skills that I will utilise in my future, working closely with my Head of House (Miss Khayari ) and my Vice-Captain (Bouchra). I would like to thank them both. I loved being part of such a supportive house and wish every member of Cook House the absolute best.’ Kareem El Ansari, Year 13 – Cook House Captain “Although school has been online this year, Interhouse has still found a way to connect us as a House and has allowed us to maintain a team spirit. What I enjoyed most is the team activities as I found myself speaking to people I would normally not get to speak to around school.” Shaheen Thamir Al Shaheen, 12B “Interhouse this term was really fun, allowing us to engage and work together more, while letting us have an enjoyable and relaxing time. I especially enjoyed the games about languages, which expanded my knowledge and I got to see how connected different languages are! It was nice to talk and discuss diverse cultures and languages in class with my peers from around the world.” Ada Sarisakal, 10D “I think that Interhouse this year has been very entertaining. I liked all the activities and quizzes we get to do together; I think it’s nice that at the end of the week we can do something fun.” Aleena Ghaffar, 10E “Interhouse has been really enjoyable since there was a different activity each week. In particular I especially enjoyed the educational activities such as the language and Ramadan activity’. Moza Abdulrahman Al Thani, 9C 131

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COPELAND COPELAND COPELAND COPELAND Another year passes and another year of highlights for the impressive Copeland House. We are lucky in Copeland House that we are blessed with outstanding individuals, consistently high levels of commitment and togetherness. Pupils have achieved well across the A-TEAMM system once again which enables pupils to participate across many disciplines throughout the year. We have witnessed fantastic performances across many areas which shows considerable diversity amongst our House team. We continue to compete well in the active and sports related events, as well as having many impressive linguists, logical problem-solving minds, and technology savvy pupils. The teamwork element in this year’s House system has been imperative with many of the events having to be run as blended or distance learning sessions as groups. Overall, the House has made me immensely proud due to their resilience and adaptability in these telling times.

There have been many memorable moments this year related to the talents and ‘all for one attitude’ of Copeland House pupils. The highlights include: - Winning the Mystery ‘Who Kidnapped Mr. Keefe’ whole-school House event in November. - Winning the Ramadan whole-school House event in April. - Achieving winning positions across several year groups in the Olympic “Higher, Faster, Stronger” challenge. - Consistently having impressive attendance, punctuality, and merit data.

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In conclusion, I have been extremely proud to be the Head of House for Copeland. The House system is an amazing opportunity to work with staff and peers outside the normal academic system of the school. It allows for teamwork, pupil bonding across year groups and a system that everyone can join and work together and compete for a single vision. It leaves me to say thank you and goodbye in a way. I will not be Head of Copeland next year, however I will still be part of this progressive team. I thank all pupils and staff for their contribution to making Copeland such an awesome house to be apart off over the three years of my tenure. Let us push on next year, dream big and collectively aim for the summit! Mohamed Al Roumani – House Captain

‘House have persevered throughout. We have always put our maximum effort and attending every House event, and because of that, we should all be proud. During our sport events and online house events, the commitment we showed further proves that, even in difficult times, we can be determined to attend and try our best in these house events to achieve the highest possible goal and boost our house standing. We also must appreciate the teacher’s hard work to set up these events and run them. I believe we should all be proud of ourselves and everyone in this House. Congratulations to everyone on their hard work this year, and good luck next year!’

Nouran Shehata - Fast Recyclable Sculpture

Sana Siddiquee - Express Yourself

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CUTLER CUTLER CUTLER CUTLER This year once again, Cutler has shown it is a house of many talents. Last year, the house system introduced the A TEAMM model to give pupils the chance to showcase their talents in a range of activities. Although we have not been able to conduct Interhouse in the usual manner this year, the pupils and staff have quickly adapted to new ways of working and shown how we can still demonstrate our talents in the different A TEAMM categories. Attendance, punctuality and merits have also played a part in the House scores this year. In their usual spirit the pupils in Cutler got to work to ensure they earned as many House points in these areas as possible. Merits were a strong area for Cutler, never dropping below 3rd place in any two week period for the number of merits earned, and the House with the most merits for the majority of the time. In addition to this, Cutler did extremely well in a number of Interhouse events, including the Active events for Year 11 and Sixth Form, brain teasers as well as the recent ‘Who, What, Where’ challenge, when pupils were challenged to get the answer with as few clues as possible. Despite the challenging circumstances we have found ourselves in this year, pupils across the school showed kindness to those less fortunate and demonstrated responsibility in making the world a better place than it was yesterday, through the various charity activities. The pupils should be really proud of what they achieved as a team. We are proud of the pupils who achieved their House Colours this year, in recognition of their years of hard work and dedication to Cutler. Well done Rodina Elbih (Year 13) for achieving Full Colours and to Kashmala Afridi, Areen Al Hyassat (Year 12) and Abdulrahman Al Subaiey (Year 10) for achieving Half Colours. This brings to the end my 4th Year as Head of Cutler and each and every year I am proud to see the teamwork and resilience the House shows. This year has provided more challenges than ever for our pupils and they have persevered to the very end. It is with great sadness that I will not be returning to Sherborne next year and I wish the pupils the very best of luck. Miss. Cobo will take over as the new Head of Cutler House and I wish her all the best of luck, although, really, she is the lucky one to be taking over such a diverse and wonderful House.

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House form time was a great way to connect with my peers. We discussed our previous challenges set by teachers, brainstormed our next challenge and ways we could reach first place. Interhouse for Year 10 pupils in Cutler made us connect and work as a team, it allowed us to talk to new people and create friendships, it also improved our communication and leadership skills. This year was different from last year because we had to participate in activities that required social distancing however Mr. Roberts and other teachers such as Mr. Hamlin, Ms. Cobo and Ms. Ramezani still had us looking forward to Interhouse because it was always fun and exciting. Personally, I enjoyed guessing which picture looked like the teacher and which voice matched the teacher! Noora Alajmi, Year 10

This year due to Covid Interhouse has been very different due to strict social distancing measures. However, the school has taken this situation and made it, so we get to do more with our House and work as a team. The best example of this is the addition of House form time on Thursday’s Week A. Where you get to see what Interhouse is about and get to discuss the best ‘strategy’ for your house to win. Furthermore, Interhouse this year has had lots of participation because they are fun, and people enjoy them and represent what they want to do very well. One stand out Interhouse for me was guessing teachers by their pictures as children, it led to a lot of chaotic arguments. One disappointment this year was, we did not have sports day which was a letdown. However, I am sure Interhouse will continue to be fun and enjoyable. Muzammil Abedi, Year 8

This year has been incredibly different and has forced us to adjust to new situations, environments and routines. As my third year as part of the Cutler House Council, and I can say that Cutler gets stronger each year. This year, we’ve introduced House form time once a fortnight; I think it’s an excellent addition to our timetable. It allows us to see our weekly performance, learn about our next Interhouse activity and spend more time with our House peers. This year, I have mostly enjoyed how creative the Interhouse activities have been. From quizzes to guessing our teachers’ voices, each Interhouse has been engaging, unique and fun! Finally, I’d like to thank the Cutler House Captains and Mr. Roberts for his continuous support to each member of the House throughout the year. Olivia Keefe, Year 9

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HAMAD HAMAD HAMAD HAMAD In the face of adversity, Hamad House has continued to hold together and embrace its identity. We’ve been challenged with a vastly different Interhouse competition this year; one which still provided variety, opportunities and challenges. As with previous years, Hamad House showed particular strengths when given the chance to be creative in Interhouse activities like designing House logos, face masks and kit. Hamad pupils also enjoyed other creative sessions like our ‘Express Yourself’ tasks which was ran to promote ‘Children’s Mental Health Week’. Throughout the year, I was continuously very proud of how interactive and engaged our Hamad House pupils were during Interhouse sessions. Teamwork skills were on show throughout those Week B Thursdays and it was often clear how driven our pupils were to succeed. Throughout my time, as Head of Hamad, I have been so grateful for the pupils and the teachers alike; both of whom are incredibly hard-working, co-operative and willing to give it their all for the House. Despite the pandemic, we still managed to put our heads together to host a hugely successful Charity Week. We have managed to raise funds for our sister school in Cambodia, through United World Schools, and also have managed to make donations to Second Chance Animal Rescue which is based here in Qatar. A massive thank you to all Hamad reps, most notably our Charity Reps, who supported in a variety of ways during this week. “Coming Together is the Beginning, Keeping Together is the Progress and Working Together is the Success!” This quote has really resonated with me recently and it makes me think about the evolution of Hamad House. We have grown so much over the years and I am very excited to see what the future holds. Always remember, ‘Hamad Works Hardest!’ William Curneen Head of Hamad House 136

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Mubarak Al Nuaimi in 7D working on his structure made from recyclable materials.

“This year has been a... tumultuous one to say the least. We have now finished an entire school year doing blended learning! Throughout this year, we have still been able to partake in a variety of different creative activities that were always interesting and entertaining. As a House, we have done our very best to attend our online lessons, participate in classes and get as many merits as possible! This year was like no other and we have shown resilience and perseverance despite everything that was thrown at us. We have worked together as a team all through this year and we should be extremely proud of ourselves!” Raihah Noor Chaudhry, 10A, Lower Senior House Vice Captain

A new logo designed by our House Vice Captain Shahd Al Hajri in 12E.

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MOZA MOZA MOZA MOZA

We have faced another year of difficulty with the COVID 19 situation; however, I am very proud to see Moza House pupils managing to rise above it and demonstrate their talent during Interhouse. It has perhaps been the most challenging year for Sherborne and the House system itself. With blended learning, we had some pupils in school and some at home and more recently all pupils remote learning. To be able to work together, just gets that little bit harder. Nevertheless, we are Moza House and whatever obstacles are in our way, we always do our best! We had a strong start to the year by leading the rest of the Houses and staying in first position from the beginning. We are the team to beat, there is not denying that, but we are ambitious and hungry for success. Our objective for this year is to win the trophy four times in a row! Yes, that’s right, also known as the quadruple! We are winners and wish to remain that way! This year we also included merit counts, attendance and punctuality within our House points system. It was always pleasing to see who was getting merits and identifying areas for improvement. We had some wonderful work produced by many of our Moza House pupils, the Express Yourself submissions were brilliant; the Art Challenge entries were exceptional, the Pictionary challenge, the list goes on! This year, pupils got to know their teachers a little better through creative challenges prepared each fortnight. Moza pupils did especially well in guessing the teacher by seeing their baby pictures, or by listening to their voices. We also had challenges in code breaking, where pupils worked together to get onto the next challenge. One of the more interesting Interhouse session was when pupils played Murder Mystery, by following the story with the Heads of House all playing key characters, pupils had to guess who kidnapped Mr. Keefe! We also managed to raise a huge amount for charity in support of UWS and Second Chance Rescue. A special thanks goes out to our charity reps Mohamed Khalid Hassan Abdelrahman (9B), Sofia Rouzier Spinks (9C), Moza Al Thani (11B), Jack Tobin (11A) and Ola Abdelrahman (12D). We also would like to take this opportunity to thank our House Captains and Vice Captains for their endless support and determination to lead Moza House on the brink of their 4th trophy in a row! Bayzid Ahmed Head of Moza House 138

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Below are a few comments reflecting this year: “Even though times were challenging, we managed to get through the year and have lots of fun, we enjoyed doing virtual Interhouse like Kahoot quizzes and even physical activities like Art. We may be finishing the year at home, but it is making the year more unique than any other. Let us hope that we can go back to normal next year.”

“This year was not like any other due to Covid as we couldn’t gather for our house meetings. However, I still believe the team spirit was with all of us as we all tried our best in Interhouse which has allowed us to remain at the top despite the restrictions. I wish everyone the best for next year.” Mustafa Malik, 13A - Senior House Captain

Hla Mohamed , 7A – Junior House Captain

“This year has been challenging with all the online learning and trying to engage pupils from home. However, we have overcome this and persevered through it creating a more diverse and fun experience for everyone involved. This year has changed all our attitudes towards school and has made pupils work harder to try and get through this.” Henry Kakkad, 9C – Lower Senior House Vice Captain

“Despite this year not panning out as we all expected, I believe it has allowed all of us to truly be challenged and grow as individuals and a community. We’ve learned to be more understanding of everyones experiences and more committed to working as a team in order to have successful Interhouse activities and even successful and engaging lessons. The fact that we were still able to pursue our education and host Interhouse activities in this time is a privilege in itself and it’s a relief that this year can end on such a productive note. I’m grateful for all the teachers and pupils this year for pushing through all the strange circumstances placed upon us and still allowing us to have such unforgettable moments. It’s with pride and a sense of hope that we can say we’ve come out as stronger and more resilient members of the Sherborne Qatar community. See you next year and remember that you have done well and will be okay; be proud of yourselves.” Rinad Al Khalifa, 12A – Senior House Vice Captain

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COLOURS AWARDS The Colours Awards were introduced to Sherborne Qatar Senior School in 2019. At Sherborne Qatar, we strive to recognise excellence in our pupils both within and beyond the classroom. The colours system is a public acknowledgement of outstanding achievement in 5 key areas. These are: | Academic | Service and Charity | House | Sport | Enrichment | To achieve half and/or full colours, a pupil must meet a clear set of criteria, which is then presented to and discussed by the Colours Committee, made up of lead teachers in each key area. Pupils need to also show a history of upholding the Sherborne values and school rules to the highest regard. This should include excellent attendance (unless a valid and approved reason for absence has been granted), a record of excellent conduct in school and an attitude that befits a pupil who shall be regarded as a role model for other Sherborne pupils. The recipients of half and full colours will be regarded as role models within their area of excellence and as such will be expected to continue to contribute positively within that colours area.

Headmaster’s Recommendation Full Colours - Gold Full Colours - Silver

Academic Service & House Sport Enrichment Charity

Half Colours - Bronze

Academic Service & House Sport Enrichment Charity

Eligibility for colours: Half colours will be awarded based on continued contribution over three years (or as long as pupil has been at Sherborne). This will usually mean pupils will be considered for half colours at the end of Year 9 (with the Award given in the following Term 1). Full colours will be awarded for a further two years of outstanding contribution. This will usually mean pupil will be considered for full colours at the end of Year 11

(and continuing into 6th form). Half colours: Half colours will be acknowledged by the presentation of a bronze Sherborne penny. Recorded on pupil online reporting system. Full Colours: Full colours will be acknowledged by the presentation of a silver Sherborne penny and a tie. Recipients are also recorded on the Honours Board. Gold: Pupils who achieve full colours in 2 or more areas will be awarded a gold Sherborne penny to signify that

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achievement. For this year, the following pupils achieved colours and attended a socially-distanced presentation in the Auditorium to acknowledge their achievements: The recipient of bronze or half colours in at least one area include: Year 10 Amira Al Said Abdulrahman Al Subaiey Leo Confalone Maab Elsheikh Kristine Kalu Daisy Kinnaird-Barr Haneen Ortashi Isabela Ventorim Year 11 Mohammed Abdullahi Ebunoluwa Adewumi Maryam Ahmed Ali Rawan Ahmed Norain El Gebely Sarah Hamud Uneiza Haque Thwayba Hussain Skye Joseph Abdullah Khan Ibrahim Khan Dylan Lopez Ngoni Mutezo

Year 12 Shahd Hamad Al Hajri Rinad Al Khalifa Turkia Al Thani Emily Dobison Hadeel Dossa Mohammed Elsayed Sam Kinnaird-Barr Salmaan Haider Shah Jana Hamadeh Aaron Swindell Daniel Ventorim Libby Wollaston

Niranjan Muthuswamy

Year 13

Tigen Osiago

Zakarya Ahmeda

Sajidah Osman

Mohammad Al Roumani

Juwayriya Sidat

Samer Buqla

Emma Soukri

Aymen Dar

J’Ouvert Sykes

Kareem El Ansari

Jack Tobin

Amira Ismail

Abigail Van Eck

Shayan Jaffery

Nadir Salimzade Silver: Janine Obiri, Year 13 – full House. Bouchra Bendou, Year 12 – half Academic and full house. Gul E Butool Abedi, Year 12 - full Academic and half enrichment. Gold: Rodina Elbih, Year 12 – full Academic and full House. Oliver Kinnaird-Barr, Year 13 – full Academic and full House.

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COMMEM

CELEBRATION PRIZE GIVING Music Prize – Ryan Bisgrove, Year 10 “He has shown tremendous commitment towards the subject, delivered outstanding presentations on Set Works. He has demonstrated an excellent understanding of how to implement musical concepts into compositions and, last but not least, he has continued to develop his playing and performance skills on the piano with a commitment to concerts and exams” - Mr Arts, Head of Music.

Our annual Commem celebration was held online in form time during the second to last day of the academic year. The video included a series of speeches, artwork, and performances compiled and edited by our extremely talented Sherborne Qatar Radio Production team, which yet again emphasises our commitment to pupil voice and events that are ‘for the pupils, by the pupils’. A list of Special Award winners are as follows: The Principal’s Award – Sofia Rozier Spinks, Year 9 “Time to time, when merited, it is my honour to present a Senior School pupil with the Principal’s Award. I want to spend a few moments to explain why I have selected this year’s recipient. Whilst Sherborne Radio has been the culmination of the work of many pupils, who all deserve praise, the recipient of this prize has been a driving force. They have, among other achievements, chaired meetings and allocated roles, taken the lead designing the Sherborne Radio logo and promoted the work of the Radio. Beyond Sherborne Radio, among their many skills and attributes, she is a talented musician, regularly performing in school, and she has done much to raise money for charity. The Principal’s Award goes to Sofia Rouzier Spinks. Congratulations Sofia” - Mr N Prowse, Principal.

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Simon Eliot Drama Prize – Molly Lashley, Year 11 “As a practical subject, there have been significant challenges to overcome in drama this year. There has been no opportunity for workshops, productions or rehearsals, but this person has embraced his learning with tenacity, focus and a determination which has resulted in some exceptional work” - Mrs Wolfe, Head of Performing Arts. PTA Charity Award – Maab Elsheikh, Year 10 “This year’s PTA charity award goes to a pupil who has spent her free time helping others and the environment; from cleaning rubbish on an island, to looking after children at a nursery and babysitting cousins/nieces and nephews, to helping to run an Islamic workshop and volunteering at an Engineering Convention”. Mrs Wollaston, Chair of the PTA. Art Prize – Rachel Hallett, Year 11 “Awarded to Rachel because of her ability but also her mature attitude towards her art and work ethic. I hope you enjoy looking at her art work below, in the opening sections and on the cover of the Shirburnian”. Mrs Rudling, Head of Art & Design.

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Girls (Senior) Sport Award – Norain El Gebely, Year 11 “The winner of the Senior Girls Sports Award is a talented all-rounder who has represented the school in a variety of sports over the years including swimming, netball, basketball and rounders. Having taken up rugby only in Year 10, however, this pupil has excelled, playing in her first festivals and tournaments for school last year, and now being part of the Camels National Coaching set-up and training up to four times a week. At only 16 years old she is due to gain her first Qatar International cap for the Under 20s National team in September / October” Boys (Senior) Sport Award – Oliver Kinnaird-Barr, Year 13 “The winner of the Senior Boys Sports Award is another talented all-rounder, having represented the school in a variety of sports including as part of our relay teams at Diamond League athletics events. He is a natural leader who inspired those around him as shown through his captaincy of the First XV rugby team and by his selection as Head Boy. Despite recent injury, our Award winner has made a full recovery and is now back training with the Qatar Under 20 men’s National team and is also due to gain his first cap in October” – Mr Broome, Head of P.E. & Games. Head of House Awards: Outstanding contribution towards House activities: Ahmed – Junior - Rebecca Matthew, Year 9; Senior - Sam Bugla, Year 13 Cook - Junior - Karam Saleh, Year 9; Senior - Amir Khattab, Year 13 Copeland – Junior - Nouran Shehata, Year 8; Senior - Mohammad Al Roumani, Year 13 Cutler – Junior - Shireen Kahn, Year 7; Senior – Rodina Elbih, Year 12 Hamad - Junior - Ali Jabari, Year 7; Senior - Raihah Chaudhry, Year 10 Moza – Junior - Hla Mohamed, Year 7; Senior - Rinad Al Khalifa, Year 12 Head of Year Awards: Awarded to someone who consistently demonstrates the Sherborne values: Head of Year 7 Award - Ali Jabari Head of Year 8 Award – Nouran Shehata Head of Year 9 Award – Henry Kakkad Head of Year 10 Award – Swithin Obiri Head of Year 11 Award – Uneiza Haque Head of Year 12 Award - Ella Haddad Head of Year 13 Award - Adithya Jaganathan Overall Academic Award winners: Year 7 - Syeda Kulsoom Rizvi Year 8 - Tiara Osiago Year 9 - Rebecca Mathew Year 10 - Abdelrahman Ghanem Year 11 - Niranjan Muthuswarmy Year 12 - Nadeen Yousif Khalil Year 13 - Jai Martin

Emily Spicer-Gregory Junior Headmaster’s Award

Ryan Bisgrove Music Award

Headmaster’s Award winners: The Headmaster’s Awards are for the overall academic attainment in an academic year. There is a Junior Award for pupils from years 7 to 9 and a Senior Award for pupils from years 10 to 13. Junior Overall Academic: Emily Spicer-Gregory Senior Overall Academic: Mohammad Al Roumani 143

@SherborneQatar

The Qatar Shirburnian 2020 - 2021

Articles inside

COMMEM

COLOURS AWARDS

MOZA

HAMAD

CUTLER

COPELAND

COOK

VIRTUAL EXCHANGE

HOUSES

AHMED

MEDICAL CLUB

DEBATING

MUN

CHESS

GOLF

CROSS COUNTRY

SHERBORNE RADIO

RUGBY SUCCESS

SOCIOLOGY & PSYCHOLOGY

SPORTS LEADERSHIP

MUSIC

PHYSICAL EDUCATION