Principal’s Introduction Continued
GCSE Exams after Eid
After pupils return from the Eid holiday on the 24th of April, they will commence their speaking GSCE exams for languages and the Art exam will take place on the first Tuesday and Wednesday back. There are just 3 school weeks after we return to the start of the written GCSE exams.
We want all of our students to be fully prepared and succeed in their exams whilst benefiting from the blessings that the holy month has to offer.
Please help your son to do well in preparing for his exams whilst fasting by:
• Ensuring that he participates in ‘Iftaar’ and ‘Suhoor’ and eats healthily. Fruits and vegetables can increase the feeling of fullness and contain important vitamins. High-fibre carbohydrates such as brown rice, wholemeal bread and wholegrain noodles provide energy over a longer period of time
• Encouraging him to drink plenty of water when not fasting
• Checking on his health regularly and letting us know if he is unwell
• Ensuring efforts in class and with revision are maintained fully
• Ensuring all additional intervention/ revision sessions are attended on time
Our year 11 pupils have been a credit to themselves, the school, their parents and their community. We wish them well in their revision and all the best when they finally sit their exams. I have no doubt that we will hear all about their future success in the years to come.
Watch this space!
During the summer term we have an exciting programme of activities planned for our young men to also ‘play hard’ and create those special memorable moments. These include:
• A range of sports’ clubs including boxing, cricket, volleyball, tennis and fitness club
• Opportunities to watch live sporting events across a range of sports and venues
• Media and Journalism Club
• Science Club
• Draughts Club
• Future Engineers Club
• Future Entrepreneurs Club
• Social Entrepreneurs Club
• Photography Club
• A range of careers activities and trips including to Oxbridge
• Sports’ Days
• STEM Enterprise Days
• Seerah Competition
• Residential trip to Kingswood Adventure Centre for our shining stars
• Trip to Spain
Finally, I would like to ask for your prayers for the school during the blessed month of Ramadhaan. I pray that the Almighty grants us all the ability to value every single moment of the remaining blessed days. Aameen.
I wish all our families a lovely Eid and hope you enjoy this very special time together. I look forward to welcoming our young men back to school on Monday the 24th of April, no later than 7:55am for another term where we work together to nurture our young men to be the best they can be; socially, spiritually and academically.
Nafisa Patel Principal
UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge!
Mr Harwood, Director of Learning for Mathematics says a big well done to all pupils in Year 10 and Year 11 who took part in the UKMT Intermediate Mathematics Challenge.
The Intermediate Mathematical Challenges is a 60-minute mathematics competition aimed at students across the UK. The competition encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems.
For the Intermediate Maths Challenge, pupils are awarded a bronze award for scoring 42 marks and above (out of 100), a silver award for 55 and above and a gold award for scores of 72 and above. Despite pupils having to enter online, four pupils achieved a gold award, eight pupils scored a silver award, and three pupils achieved a bronze award. Pupils who achieved the gold award were then entered into the exclusive Pink Kangaroo competition where one pupil went onto achieve the merit award.
Pupils in Year 7 and Year 8 are now preparing themselves for the Junior Maths Challenge, which will take place next half term. We wish them the best of luck for their preparations.
Star Awards 2023
Our very own Mr Hives was awarded with the reputable Teacher of the Year Award. Mr Hives combines excellent results with exciting lessons. Last year, our maths faculty achieved an exceptional +2.27 Progress 8 score. It is a pleasure and a privilege to have him as part of the maths department and Eden Boys’ family.
Congratulations sir!
Mathematics
British Science week- Connection of Carbon!
As we continue to grapple with the challenges of climate change, it's become increasingly clear that we need to find new ways to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. One potential solution is an enclosed carbon cycle.
An enclosed carbon cycle is a closed-loop system that captures carbon dioxide emissions and recycles them into useful products. The process typically involves capturing CO2 from industrial processes, power plants, or even directly from the atmosphere, and then using it as a feedstock for other processes, such as the production of fuels, chemicals, or building materials.
During British Science week, our learners created their own enclosed carbon cycle. The students gained a deeper understanding of how carbon is recycled and used in various industries. They also learnt about the different technologies and processes involved in capturing, storing, and converting carbon dioxide into useful products.
Moreover, by exploring the connections between different parts of the carbon cycle and the wider world, students gained a broader understanding of environmental issues and how they relate to their daily lives. This can help to promote a more sustainable and responsible approach to consumption and production.
Science
Religious Studies
In Religious Education (RE), pupils enter into a rich discourse about the religious and non-religious traditions that have shaped Great Britain and the world. As we come to the end of the Spring term, let’s take a look at what pupils have been learning.
Pupils in Year 7 have been learning about Sources of Authority for Religious Believers. Recently, pupils learnt about the Prophet Muhammad (saw) and why he is the best of role models for Muslims. Pupils also learnt about religious identity and dress including the 5ks and their symbolism.
Pupils in Year 8 have been learning about the Problem of Evil and Suffering. Pupils have really enjoyed the debate and critical thinking aspect of this unit. We explored theist and atheist arguments regarding the existence of God, looking at suffering and Karma in Buddhism and Hinduism and the inconsistent triad.
Pupils in Year 9 have been learning about types of ethics including utilitarianism and situation ethics. Pupils have had the opportunity to explore morality and ethical decisions. For example, we looked at the famous trolley problem and analysed actions and consequences.
Pupils in Year 10 have been learning about Islamic beliefs and practices. Recently they learnt about the significance of 10th Muharram for Sunni and Shia Muslims. Pupils learnt about the Islamic practices to celebrate the day. Pupils have also been learning about the 5 Pillars of Islam in depth.
Of particular mention are our ‘religion experts’ who have performed exceptionally well throughout the Spring term and are well deserving of the ‘Tauheedul Award’ for excellent progress in RE. Well done boys!
Year 7 Ossama El Kadi 7A
Year 8 Yusuf Elsawy 8M
Year 9 Hamza Zahid 9M
Year 10 Abdul Darr 10E
Our boys have had lots to say about RE at Eden Boys’ School. We asked some of our boys to share their thoughts on RE.
‘What I found interesting from RE is learning about how we can follow the character of the Prophet (pbuh) in our evry day lives.’ (Muhammad Safwan Hussain Darr)
‘I found the topics of the Existence of God and the Problem of Evil very interesting as we dive deep into philosophy.’ The topics have strengthened my understanding as a Muslim even more. I enjoy RE as we have plenty of opprotunty to discuss and debate different views.” (Hussain Degmaster)
Pupil Leadership
Pupil Leadership: STAR Council Meeting
Kashif Jamil (Head Boy) and Ariful Mannan (Deputy Head boy) attended an online STAR Pupil Council Meeting on 7th February 2023. They were joined by 19 other schools who form part of our STAR Family.
The pupils talked about our initiatives for ‘Schools of the Future’; how STAR can support the less fortunate within our community and the wider audience, how STAR can mark His Majesty King Charles' Coronation. Finally, the pupils were given the opportunity to ask questions about STAR Academies.
Asa always, it was wonderful to share our views and hear the views of others across the Star family.
Manchester City v RB Leipzig:
This term, the PE department (with the help of Maulana Irfan) managed to secure a selection of tickets to Manchester City’s Champions League Knockout game against RB Leipzig. We certainly picked the right game to attend!
A selection of students from all year groups attended the game with Mr. Johnson and Mr. Oddy, and what a game we saw! City were dominant throughout, controlling possession against one of Europe’s strongest teams, and eventually won the game 7-0! Not only did we see a masterclass from Kevin De Bruyne, we also saw Erling Haaland score 5, yes 5 Champions League goals!
District Sports Hall Athletics Competition:
Our Y7/Y8 Sports Hall Athletics teams competed in the District Indoor Athletics competitions at Preston College in January.
Students competed in a variety of events, including the triple jump, shot put, sprint and obstacle relays. Our students performed extremely well, demonstrating a superb attitude in each event. This led to some of our students securing top 3 finishes in their respective events.
The image shows our Y7 Indoor Athletics team. Well done to all involved!
District Basketball (Year 7/Year 8):
Throughout January, our year 7 and 8 Basketball teams competed against a variety of schools in the annual district competitions. Students relished the opportunity to represent the school and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The competition provided a great opportunity for our students to further develop their technical competency, knowledge, and understanding of the attacking and defensive principles of the game.
PE and Sport
District Table Tennis and Badminton:
Throughout March, The PE Department were involved in hosting the Preston district Table Tennis competition. The event consisted of 4 students from year 11/year 8 competing against players from other schools across the district.
The PE department are extremely proud of both teams, who finished 2nd in their respective competitions.
In addition, our year 11 Badminton team finished second in the district Badminton competition as well!
Congratulations to all of the students involved!
GCSE PE Moderation:
Our year 11 GCSE PE students have worked extremely hard to secure the highest grades possible in their GCSE PE practical assessments. Each student has been assessed in three practical sports, with each worth 10% (30% in total) of their final GCSE PE grade. Students have been assessed in a range of sports. These include Futsal, Rock Climbing, Badminton, Athletics and Cricket to name a few. In addition to this, students have submitted their GCSE PE coursework, a personal exercise programme, and are now preparing for their 2 formal examinations. All the very best to our GCSE PE students in the Summer!
District Footballers:
The PE department would like to congratulate Muhammad Raiyaan Haji (Y10) and Muhammad Aqeel Patel (Y7) who have both represented their respective Preston Schools FA teams this year. The boys have performed exceptionally well for their respective teams, and we look forward to monitoring their continued progress in the game.
The Summer Curriculum:
Next term, we look forward to introducing a new sport to our PE curriculum. Students will have the opportunity to develop their skill level, knowledge, and tactical understanding in Short Tennis!
In addition, we also look forward to our competitive fixtures in Cricket, Athletics and Volleyball, whilst hoping for some excellent weather!
The PE department.
PE and Sport Continued
Eden Boys’ Preston’s Literary Critics
This term, Year 7 and 8 have been working on forming an opinion during English lessons. To compliment this skill, this term’s homework was to write a book review on a book they have recently read. After a flurry of visits to the Library, the pupils had everything they need to become Eden’s very own Literary Critics. Friday lessons were commandeered by the pupils with presentations on a variety of books, from ‘Lord of the Flies’ to ‘The Boy at the Back of the Class’, followed by constructive peer feedback and voting slips. A tense moment ensued when selecting the winners…
1st prize winning a £10 Amazon voucher and 10 merits:
Ahmed Usman (Year 7)
Muhammed Hisham Patel (Year 8)
2nd prize winning 10 merits:
Muhammad Harith Patel (Year 7)
Muhammad Younas (year 8)
3rd prize winning 5 merits:
Ahmed Khan (year 7)
Muhammed Awais Mehmood (year 8)
Well done to both classes taking part. Mrs Cosgrove commends their effort, humour and commitment and thoroughly enjoyed hearing their opinions on books they have been reading.
Keep reading: it takes you to places when you have nowhere to go!
Geography
This term we have seen our year 11 geography students undertaking their second and final mandatory fieldwork.
During the Autumn term, 77 year 11 students completed a river study in the Trough of Bowland and completed their physical fieldwork exercise. This time, the students visited a site closer to home when they completed their human fieldwork at Leyland Business Park.
The students were investigating the impacts of business parks on the environment and took part in a variety of data collection tasks which we have begun to interpret in class in preparation for their GCSE geography paper.
Well done to all of the students involved!
Ms. Cavill
English
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