In a league of her own Year 13 student Ella Pemberton selected for Stoke City Ladies. Full story on back page PLUS Students join the battle against plastic waste
The New Wittonian The official newspaper of Sir John Deane’s Sixth Form College
Issue 1, June 2018
No. 1 in the country Sir John Deane’s is now the highest achieving sixth form college in the country, in tables recently released by the Department for Education. The College scored a 96% achievement rate and is ranked first out of more than three hundred colleges nationally. The achievement rate is one of the purest measures of the success of a college. It reflects the proportion of students who stay on course, complete their studies and pass their exams.
Head boy, Charles West, who lives in Winsford and previously attended the Winsford Academy, added: “As a student, I am proud be able to say that I go to Sir John Deane’s. It’s fantastic that we have such an outstanding A level focused college in the heart of Cheshire, giving local children the best possible chances. “As a community, we encourage each other to reach our full potential. Our academic achievements are a reflection of the emotional and extra-curricular support available; Sir John Deane’s students leave the college well educated, not just well-schooled.”
With an achievement rate of 96%, Sir John Deane’s is an impressive 11% above the national average. • Continues on page 3
Welcome to your NEW college newspaper Congratulations to the News Team for writing and producing the very first edition of the New Wittonian and the first student newspaper for some years. Charlote, Megan, Libby, Cara, Jacob and Ruby have done a tremendous job and have worked together to produce an impressive and high quality Newspaper – well done.
the drive and professionalism of teachers who work tirelessly on behalf of their students. Mentors across the College are compassionate advocates who have high expectations for students. I often say that together we row in the same direction and our shared effort creates great momentum which brings about the best in us all.
Being the Head Teacher at Sir John Deane’s is very much about being part of a very successful team. Leaders, teachers, support colleagues and students broadly have the same goals and we work together to achieve great success for all students. Every day I am impressed with
Just like the whole team at Sir John Deane’s I have great hopes for the current Year 12 who have distinguished themselves as a year group with ambition, intellect and a strong sense of justice and fairness. Senior students and House Captains have spent time with Governors
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and continue to suggest changes to make the Sixth Form even better. The summer ahead provides an opportunity to visit university open days and to consider your next steps. Read books and articles which interest you and explore questions which will make you an outstanding friend and citizen. Learning is joyful, make best use of the summer term.
Principal
Issue 1, June 2018
The Baileys crowned Battle of the Bands champions By Cara Mitchell
and the hope of winning the coveted prize. However there Ten of the best musical acts from could only be one winner, with this year’s title going to Sir John Deane’s Sixth Form The Baileys, a five piece band College as well as Leftwich, from The County High School, Middlewich and Tarporley Leftwich. High Schools, recently took to the stage for one of the most In recent years, the competition exciting nights in the College’s has proved a catalyst for many musical calendar, the 2018 up-and-coming bands in Battle of the Bands. order to take their music to the next level. Since winning Performing in front of a packed the competition last year, the theatre at the College on March renamed ‘Avenue 66’, have 27th, the audience were treated recently released music on to a range of styles and song Spotify and have completed choices from the bands, all their first album. connected by a love of music
Music teacher Tim Murphy, who organised the event, said: “The standard and quality of music produced by the bands this year was just incredible. Their focus and efficiency during the sound checks ensured that the evening was slick and that the energy was high. “It is wonderful to see more and more unusual instruments being used in performances to create sophisticated and considered sonic pallets.” • More on page 12
SJD is now ranked FIRST nationally for acheivement Continued from front page... Principal, Kerry Kirkwood, said: “This is a fantastic achievement, which reflects the enthusiasm, ambition and impressive work ethic of all our students and, of course, teachers and support professionals, who put learning and the success of students at the heart of everything they do. “We are an extraordinary community, committed to shaping extraordinary lives and we are
absolutely thrilled that we can now say we are the highest achieving college in the country for A level success.” Sir John Deane’s Sixth Form College has consistently topped league tables for excellent results and has been Ofsted ‘outstanding’ since 2008. 3
Join us in the battle against plastic waste
News
The New Wittonian launches ‘PLASTIC FREE SJD’ campaign and needs your help! The New Wittonian is urging YOU to join our fight against plastic. With the issue of plastic pollution dominating the headlines throughout 2018 The New Wittonian is committed to the campaign against single use plastic and is calling on the rest of the college to do the same. With businesses up and down the country having pledged to eradicate single use plastic from packaging through the UK Plastic Pact, there has been widespread call for other organisations to help protect the world’s land, oceans and waterways by cutting down on their usage. Most families in the UK throw away around 40kg of plastic per 4
year which could otherwise be recycled. The New Wittonian team needs the support from the College and local community to continue the campaign against the deterioration of our world’s wildlife before it becomes too late. Over the next few months we’ll be finding out more about the College’s plastic waste and what it’s doing to reduce the amount of plastic waste generated. We’ll also be reporting on ways in which students are doing their bit to tackle the problem. By cutting down - or even banning - single use plastic straws, cutlery and polystyrene trays and encouraging more students to recylce and move
away from single use plastic, SJD will be able to make its mark in the fight to save our seas. We need YOUR help to combat this rapidly growing issue. To get involved in the campaign or to share your ideas on how what the college could be doing, email us at thenewwittonian@ sjd.ac.uk Want to play an important part in SJD’s fight against plastic? We are looking for talented illustrators or graphic designers to come up with a logo to help us kick start our campaign. We would love to see as many of your ideas as possible - just remember to include the words ‘Plastic Free SJD’. Our favoutite one will be used throughout our campaign!
Issue 1, June 2018
Senior Biology teacher Julie Stephens on why she is backing the campaign to cut down on plastic. Plastic has been on our planet for over 110 years and has become such an essential part of our daily lives, due to the astounding versatility, flexibility and durable nature of the material. It is now so widespread that most people probably couldn’t get through a single day without relying on plastic products at some point. Whether it is using a pen, sending a text message or eating a packet of crisps, the human population has become completely reliant on plastics. However, popular science programmes such as Blue Planet 2 have brought the problems that plastics are causing in our oceans to the attention of the masses, and following Sir John Deane’s conservation expeditions to Honduras and Indonesia where our students saw the devastating effects and the amount of plastic pollution in some of the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems, our students are so shocked at the extent of the problem that they are determined for our College community to do something to help.
recycling of plastics; each one of us has a moral responsibility to make smarter choices to reduce our usage of plastics day-to-day. From refusing a plastic bag at the supermarket, to saying no to using a straw at Starbucks, there are simple changes we can all make to do our part to protect vulnerable and innocent marine creatures for many years to come. For more information on what small changes you can make to have a big impact on our oceans visit: https://tinyurl.com/y7oa8wtp
According to Greenpeace, up to 12 million tonnes of plastics enter our oceans each year – that is a rubbish truck full every minute – and it is having a devastating effect on a wide variety of marine life that the human population are also heavily reliant on for survival. In a recent survey for the Scottish Association for Marine Science 48% of the marine creatures sampled were found with plastics in them from a variety of products including plastic shopping bags, microplastics from cosmetics and even polyester fibres from clothing that has escaped from washing machines. The UK Government is beginning to step up and act by taking measures to ban microplastics in cosmetics and introducing the 5p carrier bag charge, but it should not just be down to the Government to act on the overuse and under 5
News
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Issue 1, June 2018
Pictured above: Megan Murphy, Matthew Dodson, Joshua Barrett. Opposite page, top: Chloe Rigby, Megan Murphy, Maisy Williams, Sophie Beckingham, Alex James, Scarlette New, Ella Ronald, Kizzy Griffiths. Guitar: Matthew Stanley, Jack Hayward. Saxophone: Hannah Treacher. Vocals: Hugo Morris, Trumpet: Samual Flower, Jospeph Scott, Vocals: Scarlette New.
Talented musicians star in Jazz & Soul spectacular Talented musician and singers from Sir John Deane’s Sixth Form College entertained a packed out audience during a glittering evening of music. Now in its fourth year, an Evening of Jazz and Soul returned to the Macdonald Portal Hotel, Golf and Spa in Tarporley, on Thursday 25th January. The 35-strong jazz collective, directed by Timothy Murphy, performed some blazing 60s soul with a touch of nostalgic classic swing from the likes of Glen Miller and Ella Fitzgerald. Alison Richards, Head of Performing Arts and Music
at Sir John Deane’s, said: “Congratulations to all of our incredibly talented vocalists and instrumentalists who put on an outstanding show. It’s remarkable to think they have only been performing together for just a matter of months. “We were delighted to see such a big turn out on the night and we’d like to thank everyone who came for their fantastic support.”
Date For Your Diary Saturday 14th July
TARPORLEY CARNIVAL SJD Jazz Collective, singers & SJD Acting Company.
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News
SJD à Paris! By Charlotte Case Students from Sir John Deane’s set off on a trip to Paris for a joint residential between the psychology and media departments. During the trip students enjoyed time at Disney Land where they were able to experience the rides and attractions, sightseeing in Paris, and also a conference for their subject given by guest speakers. The ‘Psychology Live!’ talk covered many topics including child development and criminology, whilst the media counterpart focused on advertising and the media industry. Whilst in Paris, students enjoyed a boat trip around the city as well as seeing tourist landmarks 8
such as the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe. Having returned from the trip late in the evening, students came to college the next day undoubtedly tired but full of excitement from their trip, describing it as “fantastic”. Emma Booth, media studies teacher, said: “The trip was a
huge success with students enjoying both the tourist and educational aspects of the visit, with thanks being given by students to the college and teachers involved for organising the trip.”
Issue 1, June 2018
Top university offers role in for SJD students
Sir John Deane’s students have their sights set on Higher Education Sir John Deane’s students are preparing for the next step of their academic journey by securing places at some of the UK’s leading universities. 2018 has been a highly successful year for all medic hopefuls with all 25 students applying for medicine, veterinary science and dentistry degrees being invited to attend an interview. It has also been a good year for Oxford and Cambridge applicants, with 10 students receiving offers. A further 75 students hold offers in engineering, while there is 64 with offers in law and 26 in teaching. In total this year, 89% of of Year 13 students have
made applications to higher education courses. Russell Group universities remain a popular chocie with Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and York universities featuring highly in first choice destinations. Deputy Principal Andrew Boden said: “Throughout the history of Sir John Deane’s students have always progressed to great universities and this year is no exception. “A special thank you to Julie Stephens and Nikki Manley for their exceptional work in supporting students applying for specialist courses.” Sir John Deane’s students continue to do well at university with recent data showing that
students outperform their counterparts in terms of their final degree classifications. Last year, an exceptional 37.7% of all degrees awarded to former Sir John Deane’s students were first class, compared to 26% on average, while the total number of first class and upper second class degree awards was 86.7%, outperforming the sixth form college aveage by an impressive 8%. This year’s progression and HE day, (Friday 8th June) is an ideal opportunity for students to consider their university options. Pictured above: Julie Stephens with students who have receieved offers to study medicine, veterinary science and dentistry at university.
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Buckingham Palace awaits
News
A number of students from Sir John Deane’s Sixth Form College were recently invited to Buckingham Palace as part of the presentation of their Gold Duke of Edinburgh award.
Young chemists have formula for success Eight young chemists have been awarded silver and bronze awards in the UK Chemistry Olympiad, run by The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). Year 13 students Joshua Appleton, Chloe Todd, Alex Naylor and Alexander Smith achieved silver awards, while Victoria Turner, Eleanor Sykes, Katie-Marie Bennett and Ben Mayoh bagged bronze. The Chemistry Olympiad is the leading chemistry competition for students in secondary education across the UK.
The 21 students who completed the Gold Award had to display immense personal strength, commitment, determination and confidence in order to fulfil the challenging criteria, which included a gruelling 4-day mountainous hike as well as a lengthy volunteering period, learning and developing a particular new skill and showing strong physical ability. Richard Bailey, who leads the D of E programme at Sir John Deane’s said: “It is a great achievement to have completed the Gold award, and those dedicated students who have now done so are being truly recognised as outstanding citizens of our community and should be commended for their success”.
Students talk their way through Youth Speaks competition A trio of lively debaters talked their way into the district round of the Rotary Club Youth Speaks Senior Competition, narrowly missing out on a place in the national finals. Year 12 students Charlotte Case, Kieran Baddeley and Katie Rogers came first in the November local heats with their insightful speech ‘An Ode to the Days of Intellectualism’ written and delivered by Kieran, a politics student at the College. Following praise from judges, who were fascinated by the team’s angle on the role of politics in music (ranging from the popularity of Eminem to the Pet Shop Boys combatting of homophobia) the team progressed to the district round, which took place in March. The highly competitive heat was held at the University of Wrexham, with the College team delivering their speeches to a large audience of 10
family members, fellow competitors and Rotary officials. Following a number of speeches on mental health and the meaning of ‘freedom’, the team took their turn and gave a powerful performance unfortunately just missing out on progressing to the next round. Lydia Reynolds, Economics teacher, said: “With the intense formality of the competition, having to keep to timings, and being allocated strict roles within the team, students from the college worked hard to ensure they performed to the best of their ability, and have all gained invaluable experience, despite their defeat.” Youth Speaks is a national competition organised by Rotary to help young people develop their confidence and presentation skills.
Issue 1, June 2018
Celebrating women throughout history The History Society’s Cara Mitchell reflects on 100 years of female suffrage in Britain Having only been founded this year, the Sir John Deane’s History Society already has a large base following of students eager to learn about the past, as well as how these events and topics are still prevalent in modern day society. A recent focus has been on the role women played in history, following the widely celebrated International Women’s Day on the 8th of March. This year, it coincided with the 100th year anniversary of female suffrage in Britain, which was arguably the catalyst for a more equal society where the voices of women were not just listened to, but also acted on. However, the numerous celebrations
on the 6th of February failed to recognise that they were only celebrating the privileges of the social elites, as the representation of the peoples act only entitled women over the age of 30 who owned, or who were married to someone who owned land, to vote. This completely disregarded the countless years of both peaceful and violent protests partaken by the Suffragettes and Suffragists as well as the often fatal war work many working class women were subjected to in order to support Britain on the front lines during WW1.
often go unnoticed, and how during that period your social class could hinder you nearly as much as your gender. Therefore, instead of celebrating the 100th year anniversary of female suffrage, we should instead be celebrating its 90th anniversary, as it was only after the 1928 Equal Franchise Bill, that all women over the age of 21, regardless of their social status, were able to finally have their voices heard with the right to vote.
This only highlights the social injustices and prejudices that
Head Girls spread message of hope for the future We feel like there is a lot of negative stigma surrounding the idea of a ‘women’s only’ day. Therefore, we really want to make one thing clear; International Women’s Day is not about valuing one sex more than the other. It is about taking time to acknowledge just how far we have come in the fight for equality. And where better to celebrate equal opportunity, than here at Sir John Deane’s? Here, no girl feels less likely to achieve than their male counterpart; for there is fantastic support available to everyone. Every year we see female students breaking gender stereotypes by pursuing careers in STEM based subjects, but equally we see numerous success stories for males in the Arts.
Here, whatever your drive, your ambition, every student who works hard enough achieves their full potential... regardless of gender. Here, education gives us power- power to change those established roles. So, here’s to equality, and the brighter future we are creating for both women and men.
Anya-Leiah and Daisy Head Girls 11
News
Battle of the Bands 2018
Charlotte Case goes backstage at BOTBs 2018 After all the 10 bands had performed, the judges retired to the Dance Studio to deliberate, while they audience nervously awaited the outcome. Chatting to some of the bands whilst the decision was made, it was clear the biggest competition came from Entropy, The Bailey’s and Carpet. Head Judge Paul Allanach announced the results. There was much praise given to all the bands and their performances and a special mention went out to 11-year-old Isaac from Rewired, the youngest yet arguably most confident artist of the night! While Lili from Charles II was told she is “never allowed to be quiet in politics again.” The judges saw different aspects of the students’ lives and personalities during the creative evening. First came the result of the runners up, with the judges naming Carpet as their highly commended band of the evening, after they sang their own 12
song ‘Every Shade of Blue’. Then it was time to announce the winners. After joking that the envelope read ‘La La Land’, in reference to the Oscars mistake last year, it was revealed that The Baileys had won! They performed ‘From the Ritz to the Rubble’ by The Artic Monkey’s. They thanked the judges and audience and wanted to praise their band member Sam McLaughlin, as it was his first time performing live. They also gave a special thanks to their mentor and manager, Tim Murphy. The audience seemed to agree with judge’s result after a lot of cheering and shouts for an encore, which meant another excellent performance from The Baileys. Having performed in the competition before, they ended their time on stage saying “we will be back”, meaning we are sure to have another fantastic competition next year!
Issue 1, June 2018
Meet this year’s line up The Baileys (2018 winners)
Evan Johnson, Harry Garner, Sam Hoyle, Sam McLaughlin, Sam Cheater So, why are you here tonight? To win How long have you been together as a band? About two months Have you entered SJD’s Battle of the Bands before? We’ve been twice before, but not as this exact line up. Who do you think is your biggest competition? Carpet [There was some ongoing rivalry between the bands on the night, so it wasn’t surprising that The Bailey’s had their eyes on Carpet, who commented that they were going to make some ‘organised noise’ following The Bailey’s performance!]
Carpet (2018’s runner up) Sam Harden, Ewan Ling, Edward Lane, Jospeh Nixon How long have you all been together as a band? We’ve been together for two years, but previously as ‘Fury Time’ Who’s your biggest competition tonight? Entropy Biggest inspiration? The Pixies How much do you practise as a band? Around three hours a week How long have you been preparing for the competition? We only found out three days before the competiton! 13
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Issue 1, June 2018
Charles II (this year’s only all girl group) Lili Baines, Darcy Dagnall, Ella Healey Main inspiration? We’re massive Blondie fans How long have you three been together? Two months Biggest competition? Entropy
G&T Tanya Al-Khalifa, Greg Scholes Who would you say is your main compettion? The ‘mini-kids’! [Rewired] How long have you two been together as a band? We were just jamming together in the music rooms and thought we’d enter the competition.
Avenue 66 Catriona Keep, Jordan McLellan, Mia Windsor, Liam Wright How long have you been a group? For about a year – we met on the English creative writing trip in Scotland! We were the Window Tourists [2017 winners] and then were joined by Jordan after meeting him on the trip. Who do think is your main competition? Probably Carpet or Entropy How much do you practise together? We rehearse in college three times a week So, do any of you take music at college then? Actually, only one of us does, Mia. We hear you’ve got some exciting things coming up with your new album, any specific plans? We performed at the Altrincham Markets last year and are hoping to organise the Chester Live Rooms for October.
Rewired Louis Grover, Isaac Grover, Joseph Plumley, Angus Vardy-White How did you hear about SJD’s Battle of the Bands, considering you’re from Tarporley High School? We heard from a friend What’s the age range of your band? 11-17! Who are your biggest rivals? Either The Baileys or Carpet How long have you all been together?
We’ve been together for about 6 months. Some of us were together before as a bit of a band. How did you meet? Well two of us are brothers, and we all met at primary school.
Gravity Eyelids Caleb Grierson, Gregory Scholes, Elliott Stanley, Aleksander Nixon What did you sing tonight? The song’s called ‘waiting’ How did you meet? We actually met here at College! Do any of you take music at college? Three of us do music technology.
In Desperation Noah Curran, Kier Grierson, Callum Barrett What school are you from? Middlewich and Sir John Deane’s What instruments do you play? Drums, guitar and piano, we didn’t do vocals. We actually added Callum in on the piano about 10 minutes before!
Jack and Noah Jack Hayward, Noah Curran What school are you from? We’re both from Sir John Deane’s What instruments do you play? Both Guitar
Entropy Callum Barrett, Joshua Barrett, Caleb Grierson, Jack Hayward, Aleksander Nixon How did you all meet? We met in college and started as a band in September Why do you perform? We really enjoy it and it’s nice to be able to perform together Who is your biggest competiton? Carpet. (Before their performance they continued the rivalry that started with Carpet and The Bailey’s saying “We’ve had some noise, we’ve had some organised noise, and I’m hoping we’re now going to have some music”).
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Introducing your new Senior
The New Wittonian caught up with Head Students Anya-Leiah Ashton and Charles West to discover more about them personally and what they hope to achieve in the coming year. Anya-Leiah Ashton With a keen interest to establish the house system and create a ‘mini uni experience’, former Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School student Anya was eager to get involved here at Sir John Deane’s and become one of our head girls. The maths, further maths and art student told us the new-found independence, was one of the best parts of college life. Family-orientated Anya admiringly told us that her mum, was her biggest inspiration; As the eldest of four siblings she explains 16
that her family is the one thing she couldn’t live without. Anya’s response to whether she would live somebody else’s life for the day was envious, as she declined the opportunity, telling us she is content and comfortable with who she is, perhaps a result of her best quality being that she doesn’t get jealous. One of Anya’s most bizarre facts about herself is interestingly her ambidexterity (aka the ability to use her right and left hand equally well – this explanation received a fair amount of ‘ah’s and ‘oh’s from us), however this proves not so useful as Anya explained how it has in the past
slowed her down in exams, so slow in fact that her previous teacher forced her to pick just one! Naturally, Anya smiles at strangers ‘all the time’, enthusiastically claiming the benefit of ‘toning the cheeks’. Anya’s favourite subject is art due to the ‘creative expression’ offering a relief from the maths and ‘balancing out the other side of the brain’. Alongside her studies, Anya is also a keen netball player and is currently working towards her Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Issue 1, June 2018
r Students
Head students Ben Gleave, Anya-Leiah Ashton, Daisy King & Charles West
Charles West Having held the position of Deputy Head Boy at Winsford Academy, Charlie came to Sir John Deane’s recognising the importance of representing his fellow students’ views and conveying their concerns to people with the power to change things. His experience as a member of Youth Parliament has taught him that an effective representative is someone who raises others’ issues rather than solely pursues their own agenda, and so he has entered his role as Head Boy seeking to broaden education in college on consent and sexual harassment, as was suggested to him by a fellow pupil.
He told us that his favourite aspects of life at Sir John Deane’s is the music in the morning and the presence of lots of like-minded people. Perhaps the best thing, however, is the unlimited access to coffee in Starbucks, which he said he could no longer live without and jokingly referred to as what makes him smile ‘all day, everyday’. When asked about his greatest inspiration, Charlie spoke of how the sometimes confounded negative perception of his hometown, Winsford, motivates him to be successful. His aspiration to work in the civil service or to be a journalist presumably also plays a large role in his drive to achieve. He recognises the fact that he is very self-aware and understands
his own strengths and weaknesses, and he feels he would benefit from experiencing life as a disabled person for a day to obtain a better understanding of what day to day life is like for different people. Charlie studies Spanish, History and English Language at college, and named Spanish as his favourite of these, with the cultural knowledge he learns stimulating his dream of travelling the world and experiencing different cultures. Charlie believes that it is important that we should all smile at strangers, particularly elderly people, to alter their impression of young people, and said that the overriding positive influence in his life is his friends, who ‘just make [him] smile in general’. 17
Time out A4 PAPER PUZZLE A
1
B
√2 D B
C A
Take an A4 piece of paper, and position it portrait. Label the top edge as length 1, and the left edge as length √2 (the actual ratios of the sides of an A4 piece of paper). Take the bottom right corner (D on diagram), and fold it over, so the former bottom edge (CD) now lies on the left edge (AC).
D
Finally take the top right corner (B) and fold it down so it lies on the upper line formed by the previous fold.
C
What is the perimeter of the shape you have now made?
A D
B
(Hint: This puzzle is made far easier if you actually physically carry out the instructions on a piece of paper, instead of conceptually visualising it. The ability to label, rotate, fold and unfold the paper helps reveal how the sides relate to each other, and leads to a vary satisfying answer).
C The Maths Society
What’s on MAY 14TH
YEAR 13 EXAMS BEGIN MAY 17TH
CHARITIES COMMITEE FASHION SHOW Enjoy an evening of fun and fashion all in aid of the mental health charity MIND. MAY 10TH
YEAR 13 AWARDS EVENING Celebrating the character contribution and achievements fo Year 13 students. MAY 28TH
MAY HALF TERM 18
JUNE 8TH
PROGRESSION DAY An opportunity for Year 12 students to speak with employers or representatives from many universities to inform their UCAS application. JUNE 14TH
PATHWAYS Year 12 Performing Arts students explore the themes of pathways and journeys in an imaginative and entertaining variety show. Join the SJD singers, actors and dancers for their end of year finale.
JUNE 21ST
YEAR 12 AWARDS EVENING Celebrating Academic excellence, sporting prowess, character and contribution. JUNE 8TH
PROGRESSION & HE DAY JUNE 26th
ART EXHIBITION An exhibition of Year 13 Art & Design, Photography and Textiles JUNE 27th
BARCELONA Mathematics visit to Barcelona
Issue 1, June 2018
JUNE 28TH
UKCAT A fantastic opportunity for Year 12 students to enhance their application to Medical School. JULY 2ND & 9TH
DUKE OF EDINBURGH - GOLD QUALIFYING EXPEDITION A four day camping/walking trip in the Lake District.
IF ONLY THEY DIDN’T SPEAK ENGLISH by Jon Sopel, BBC News North America Editor Library mentor, and Sir John Deane’s favourite American, Bruce Armstrong enjoys an English take on life in the States. Over the course of my life I’ve been asked to describe myself using words that define me; positive, forward, optimistic, driven, self-starter, colorful (or colourful) are a few words I use to describe myself. In the States, or America, as most Brits refer to it, this description would portray someone who is uplifting, encouraging and upbeat. Many of my British acquaintances might think of this same someone as boastful, egotistic, self-centered (or even centred). If Only They Didn’t Speak English is peppered with just such comparisons as Jon shares his extraordinary, oncein-a lifetime opportunity to travel the continental U.S. as BBC’s eyes and ears while covering the Trump (or tr i ump h) Campaign.
JULY 9TH &10TH
PRE SIXTH CONFERENCE An opportunity for students joining the sixth form in September 2018 to experience life at Sir John Deane’s JULY 14TH
TARPORLEY CARNIVAL Look out for SJD’s talented actors and muscians, performing live at the Tarporley Carnival for the third consecutive year. • Got an event you’d like to promote? Email thenewwittonian@sjd.ac.uk
Anyone who has not been on holiday in the States, probably has a sense of what America is. Your perception is influenced having watched an American produced movie, listened to American music, bought some American brand clothing or dined on a FIVE GUYS burger. Or maybe you’ve talked with someone who has travelled there. You expect culture, food, fashion and the like to be different in countries where English ISN’T the first language; You anticipate a totally different environment in those countries; in most part, because the first language is NOT English. But because America’s first language IS English, it’s difficult to understand why or how life could be so vastly dissimilar to life in England. But it is! In his book, Jon tries to unravel and make sense of the contrasting views and opinions of the American public while doing his best to translate what he hears and sees into English; as The English understand. A fun read that you’ll want to finish once you crack it open. Enjoy! 19
Spotlight on... Paul Allanach, Teacher of History and Politics Each edition, we’ll be turning the spotlight to one teacher to find more about their life beyond the classroom. For our first ever edition of The New Wittonian we spoke to Paul Allanch, teacher of History and Politics and Head of Humanties at Sir John Deane’s Sixth Form College. He reveals all about his hidden football talents, a love of music and how young people are shaping politics in Britain today.
What is your greatest childhood achievement? Playing for Barnsley Schoolboys at football. Really, there were only two things that stopped me from becoming a professional footballer – talent and ability. Can you recall an event that shaped you as a person? I did not really know it at the time, but looking back, the Miner’s Strike had a massive impact on my family and community. It also politicised me to an extent and that obviously set me on a particular path. Do you have any youth confessions? I was the coolest (and possibly only) Grunge Rocker in Barnsley- if you see a photo of me aged 14 onwards, I had hair down to my shoulders and looked like a member of Pearl Jam. What A levels and degree did you study? A levels in English Literature, History and Politics My degrees are in History and Politics (BA) and Modern History/Modern Politics (MA). What advice do you have for students applying to university? I would recommend students go for a course they are interested in, rather than choosing the university first. The thing that will get you out of bed on a cold February morning is a love of what you are doing. For me, the best thing about university is being immersed in your subject, and 20
also living with hundreds of people your age from diverse backgrounds and the many interesting experiences this brings. What led you to teaching? On one level, it was a genuine love of and enthusiasm for my subject. On another level, I am sure many teachers would say this, that they had some kind of idealism- playing a positive role in the life of others, helping them achieve their goals, as well as a belief in some form of ‘public service’ that amounts to something more than a soulless existence. What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you in class? Not really to me, but I have been called ‘Dad’ by a couple of students – I immediately stopped their pocket money. Also in my first year, someone observing me did trip up over a desk and fall flat on their face. What are your Desert Island discs? It changes daily. I have a huge record collection and couldn’t even give you my top 100 B-Sides . This week’s playlist features Pig Valentine, 60 ft Dolls, White Man in Hammersmith Palais, The Clash, Landslide, Tony Clarke, Afterglow, The Crookes, Holy Mountain, Noel Gallagher, If You Can Want , Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Time, Edwin Starr, Kinky Afro, Happy Mondays, A Swallow on my Neck , Morrissey and Witness, The Screaming Trees.
Issue 1, June 2018
“Why would people watch soap operas, when politics is actually real and more entertaining?”
If you weren’t a teacher, what else would you like to do? Own my own record shop. If money were no object, I would take record collecting more seriously – I would love to own the original pressing of ‘Do I Love You’ by Frank Wilson, as well as the A&M pressing of ‘God Save the Queen’ by the Sex Pistols. I would love to be an advisor on foreign policy to Donald Trump – mainly to see if I could get him to declare war on Narnia. What’s on your Bucket List? I would love to be Pope at some point – I could look at all the historical documents suppressed by the church over the last 2000 years, and obviously the doctrine of Papal Infallibility is appealing.
What do you love about the subject you teach? The fact that you can grapple with arguments and concepts from a variety of viewpoints, and still not be any nearer to reaching a definitive answer. The fact that it is ever changing – Jeremy Corbyn used to be some caricature of a rebellious backbencher who voted against his own party more than with it – he now has the audacity to demand loyalty from his MPs. Donald Trump used to be seen as a joke candidate after his disastrous attempt to influence policy by entering the GOP Primaries in 2012. Why would people watch soap operas, when politics is actually real, and more entertaining? It really is show business for ugly people.
How are young people shaping politics in modern day Britain today? I always get told that young people are apathetic, but if you look at the turnout in 2017, as well as the Scottish independence referendum, then there is evidence to dispute this. Away from traditional methods of participation, there are lots of protest movements/social movements largely organised through social media that develop into active participation. Just look at the response to the latest school shooting in Florida. The whole #grimeforcorbyn movement was a bit embarrassing though... Tough on Grime, Tough on the causes of Grime… 21
Progress Review What’s happening in tutorial? As the library turns to a silent study area and the countdown to exams begin, Progress Mentors have turned the focus in tutorials to talking about managing exams. Whether you are in Year 13 and have had your mock results back, or you are in Year 12 sitting your progression exams, our message is the same; every day counts. So, how can you ensure that you are making the most out of every day? As well as looking at how to use personal study periods effectively, we have talked about the importance of taking time out to self-reflect in order to adapt for a better outcome next time. We’ve had some fantastic discussions in tutorials around managing exam pressure and being resilient, as well as what truly motivates, inspires and
drives us; from achieving high grades and improving from our previous score, to rewarding ourselves with our favourite sweet treat! Year 12, we can’t wait to celebrate your successes from your progression exams and to begin working with you on your personal statement and UCAS application form. Year 13, don’t solely focus on your mock grade, really reflect on what you were able to answer well and where there is room for improvement. You are in the final half term now- squeeze the most out of every day and stay positive. Remember “If you think you can, you’re right”- Henry Ford -The Progress Mentor Team
“Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day”
Top Tips Make a goal Short term or long term; don’t lose sight of your goal. What is it you want to achieve?
How? How are you going to make this happen? What actions are you going to put in place? Think about what you need to achieve this.
Achieve it! Go out there and achieve it. You are the master of your own fate.
Our top pick of websites For researching university courses: www.ucas.com www.university.which.co.uk www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk 22
For University open days: www.opendays.com For student finance: www.gov.uk/student-finance
Issue 1, June 2018
Congratulations to all 55 students who took part in a litter pick around the college campus and surrounding area ealrier in May. They collected a huge amount of litter in a bid to do their bit to protect the local environment and wildlife.
Cross country championships Four Year 12 students braved blustery and near-freezing conditions to compete in the Cheshire Schools’ CrossCountry Championships on the 3rd February. Alex Doyle and Harry Dexter competed in the senior boys’ category over a 6.4km run, around a Delamere Forest course which was still somewhat worse for wear following the
clubs’ championships a month earlier, while Emily Lowery and Bea Lennon-Butler contested the senior girls’ race over 4.2km. With a place on the Cheshire team at the English Schools’ Cross Country on offer for the top eight athletes in each race, three of our athletes qualified comfortably.
3rd, 5th and 3rd respectively, with Bea just missing out on qualification in 9th place. The Sir John Deane’s students enjoyed similar success at the English Schools Championships in Leeds on March 17th, with Harry Dexter and Alex Doyle placing 17th and 52nd, while Emily Lowery placed 26th in the girls’ race.
Harry, Alex and Emily placed
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The Editorial Team
We’re pleased to be able to bring you the first edition of The New Wittonian - hopefully the first of many.
Megan Murphy English Literature, History, Politics
Libby Cooper English Literature, History, French
We hope you enjoy keeping up to date with college news as well as getting involved in the launch of our campaign “Plastic Free SJD”.
Charlotte Case English Literature, Maths, French
Ruby Burling Economics, Politics, Chemistry
Any stories or ideas please get in touch. You can email us at thenewwittonian@sjd.ac.uk
Cara Mitchell English Literature, History, German
Jacob Birtles History, Politics, German
The team :)
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Sports News
Sports News
SJD’s Ella makes first team appearance for Stoke City Ladies Talented footballer and Sir John Deane’s student Ella Pemberton has kicked off her sporting career after being selected to play first team football in the FA Women’s Premier League. Ella, a former Weaverham High School student, plays centre midfield for Stoke City Ladies who compete in the second tier of the women’s English football league and currently sit third in the table. After joining the Crewe Alexandra Youth Academy at the age of 10 Ella went on to train with Stoke City and later Liverpool, before returning to Stoke at the age of 17
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where she was selected for the first team squad. “It is a dream to play so high up in the women’s game,” said Ella, who studies PE, Psychology and Applied Science at Sir John Deane’s. “These last few months have been a fantastic opportunity for me to improve my football and get as much experience on the pitch as possible. “I’m the youngest in team but all the players have been really supportive and I’m enjoying every minute.”
As well as her success on the pitch, Ella has also been offered a soccer scholarship at the Middle Georgia State University in America, which she plans to attend in September 2019. Ella added: “Women’s football is huge in America so to get the opportunity to study and play over there is amazing. “However, playing for Stoke is my priority right now and I want to achieve as much as possible for the team.”