The SFC Post Issue 2 Autumn Term 2023

Issue 2

Autumn term 2023

THE SFC POST “Cor Unum, anima una”

POEM OF HALF TERM From The Ashes She Became Before she became fire, she was water.

Quenching the thirst of every dying creature.

She gave and she gave until she turned from sea to desert.

But instead of dying of the heat, the sadness, the heartache, she took all of her pain and from her own ashes she became fire

Written by Nikita Gill

Chosen by Emily

This poem summarises our value of the half term - Resilience.

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HEAD GIRL’S REVIEW Just a little note from me about a few things St.

We were presented with two versions of the very

Francis’ got up to this term.

popular song ‘I’m Just Ken’, as well as an amazing performance of ‘Wings’, which one of the judges said

We kick started this academic year off with the

to be ‘X-Factor worthy’. The final performance was

greatly anticipated opening of the Sixth Form

the whole house piece, where everyone got involved

and the new Nursery. Both have been enormous

(even the teachers!) in some amazing singing and

successes and a lot of hard work has evidently

mildly questionable dance moves. After the

gone into the designs. Being in my final year, I

competition was finished, we were fortunate

have found the redesign of the Sixth Form space

enough to have a performance by one of our judges,

invaluable to my study time, with its sleek,

Sam Vaughan, which was incredible and a lot of fun

modern look helping me and my peers to

for the whole school.

prepare for university-style study. On behalf of all of the Sixth Form, I would love to give a huge

Of course, our Year 7s, 8s and 9s took part in the

thanks to Mrs Scott, who gave up so much time

annual Recycled Fashion Show for our whole school

for this project, always putting our needs first

charity Kanyike. This year, the theme was Television

and considering how the space can be most

and all year groups pulled out all the stops to create

useful to us. Whilst it is not fully finished, we all

sustainable fashion for our judges. We were all

cannot wait for the Zen Garden to open later

blown away with the dedication to the costumes

this academic year and I hope that this will be a

and every pupil did a fantastic job. A massive

valued space for sixth formers for many years to

congratulations to Year 12, who ran the event with

come.

ease and professionalism. We were also privileged to hear from Alice Rochester-Tounkara, who spoke

In true St. Francis’ fashion, this term was jam-

about the work that the money is put towards

packed with all kinds of events that enable our

during fundraisers such as these.

students to thrive and pursue a variety of passions.

We then had our Autumn Concert, which always is a phenomenal display of musical talent. Pupils from

We kicked off the year with our annual House

across the year groups performed with confidence

Music, which is an event of laughter, music and

and pride and were able to astound the parents,

fun. Putting a twist on the usual process this

once again. Jess and I were (hopefully) able to

year, each house entered 3 songs into the

entertain everyone with our dreadful Dad jokes as

competition. The first was a pre-19th century

well. An enormous thank you to Mrs Bland for

piece, encouraging our students to delve into

organising such a memorable event, along with her

traditional pieces of music. From sea shanties to

excellent team of Mr Bland and Mr Hulme giving all

classical composers, such as Purcell, this

of the performers the ability to perform with high-

category did not disappoint and all the students

level sound and lighting equipment.

did amazingly. The second category was a post19th century piece, which gave the pupils the opportunity to explore modern pop songs.

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HEAD GIRLS REVIEW

ELLA

We also have Nine Lessons and Carols coming up

More exciting renovations are occurring as the

right at the end of term, which will be the first

previously known JCR becomes a fitness studio and

official service since before Covid-19. This event was

the new Year 11 Common Room. The fitness studio

always a favourite of mine as I went through the

will be filled with professional gym equipment,

school and it’s the perfect way to kick start that

providing an opportunity for students and teachers

Christmassy feeling. On the last day, we have the

alike to promote physical and mental wellbeing. A

slightly less angelic carol singing, where the whole

common room for Year 11 will be a crucial social

school gather to scream Christmas carols in a spirit

space for them to relax and enjoy their free time as

of joy and laughter.

they prepare for their upcoming GCSE exams.

This term was not all about the music, though. STEM

Alongside all these incredible things that are

students had the opportunity to hear from the

happening inside of school, St Francis hosted a

School’s Aerospace Careers Programme. They were

hugely successful open morning, where families

able to meet Boston Dynamic’s Spot the robotic dog,

were able to look around and see the community

which is used in a range of different industries. Not

that is fostered here. Thank you to all who came in to

only this, but they also were able to experiment with

show off the school in its best possible light;

VR and AR, as well as speaking with representatives

representing the core values of what it means to be

of the industries of Aerospace and Engineering.

a St. Francis’ student.

We also had the opportunity to listen to the former

Finally, I would like to finish with the two values of

commander of the South African Azanian People’s

‘DREAMS’ that we have been focusing on this term:

Liberation Army during Apartheid times – Letlape

determination and resilience. These two values are

Mphahlele. This was a fantastic opportunity for our

ones that must be developed and nurtured in a

students to listen and ask questions to someone

supportive environment, which St. Francis’ allows.

with such an interesting background, promoting our

We have had many assemblies and speeches on the

understanding of the wider world and struggles that

two values, helping us to understand how to

other people face.

cultivate the values and put them into practice in our academic and social lives. The next term will

The rehearsals for this year’s school play of ‘Shrek’

focus on empowerment and appreciation.

are well underway, with our students working hard after school and in lunchtimes to prepare for the

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas,

wonderful event. The play will be performed in

spending time with family and friends. Stay safe

February and the students involved have been

everyone and I will see you all in the New Year.

working hard since September. This is a comment on the hard work and dedication it takes to be a part of the play, as demonstrated by so many of the pupils and it is amazing to see so many students from all across the year groups getting involved.

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SFC Library Autumn Reads Tree Students wrote recommendations for their peers detailing awesome books they had recently read.

It’s been a very busy term in the library! Join us on a celebration of all the amazing opportunities that have been available. A massive thank you to Miss McIntyre for her amazing work in all these activities and visits!

Frances Hardinge Author Event Year 7 & 8 from St. Francis' College and students from other local schools were treated to an assembly in our beautiful theatre with the award-winning author, Frances Hardinge.

She shared a reading from her new book 'Island of Whispers' - a haunting, thrilling fairy tale complimented with stunning inky-blue illustrations and finished with a silver sprinkled jacket. Students coveted the opportunity of chatting with Frances after the assembly and having their newly purchased book personally signed by her.

Poetry Day - Pick a Pocket Poem The library celebrated Poetry Day with a display of our wonderful poetry books and a jar full of 'pocket poems' for students and staff to help themselves to during the day!

Poetry Day Celebration continued with Harry Baker Year 7.8,9 &10 enjoyed an exciting performance poetry presentation by Harry Baker and were then given the opportunity to reflect and respond to this in workshop sessions. There was a mixture of profound and playful responses - including poems about disability, black history month and bullying. 4

Booktrust Bookbuzz Books Year 7&8 were delighted to choose their own books inone of their Library Lessons as part of the Book trust Reading Programme. Students choose their own book to keep from a list of 16 titles. These titles are selected by a panel of experts to ensure quality and suitability and to encourage reading for pleasure.

Bookclub Recommended Reads Poster Book club members collaborated to create a wonderful poster of their recommended reads to share with all year groups. They took responsibility of selecting titles, creating, printing, and finding spaces in and around the College to promote their posters. It was a wonderful opportunity for them to showcase how important reading for pleasure is.

School Library Association Information Book Award Judging with Book club and Prep The annual award is designed to support school libraries and to reinforce the importance of information books for children.

Book club members visited Prep VI and together they expertly critiqued the four books. They considered everything from the front cover, choice of fonts, how the information was split up on the page, the subject, and if it made them curious to find out more. After much discussion there was a joint winner!

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Christmas Ready Reads Book club have festively helped to create 'Christmas Ready Read Bags' for other students to borrow. They carefully selected two YA books per bag that they thought Year 9+ would enjoy and then did the same for the younger years. They then finished the bags off with a festive candy cane and hot chocolate sachet - all the things you need to curl up with a good book!

Christmas Crafts The library has turned into a festive grotto during the last two weeks of term. There have been drop-in crafts every lunchtime; paper snowflakes, origami stars, paper chains, Christmas colouring and cards.

New Library Games The new games in the library are a welcome addition to the space! Students and Staff have even managed to finish the 1000-piece St. Francis' College community jigsaw before Christmas!

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THE SFC POST

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WORKSHOP

THE STEEL PAN DRUM WORKSHOP WRITTEN BY CAMILLA PHOTOS FROM MRS BLAND

You can play a variety of notes on the Steel pan drums, I used a Tenor, and some of them were very high pitched, but there are also some low pitched ones, and some in the middle. Some of them, usually the higher ones, have more notes, and to get more notes, you make the bowl part steeper.

We all tried playing the steel pan drums, cow bells, tambour and shakes, and learnt 2 pieces. On the Steel pan drums are a type of tuned percussion that

steel pan drums, we played cords, as well as doing

originated in Trinidad, a Caribbean Island in the late 1930s,

a drum roll. All of the instruments built up slowly,

during World War 2. People in Trinidad used oil pans that

playing slightly different sequences, then at the

were used by the American Navy in the war. They started

end, we did a call and response Bob the Builder,

off with just one note, but then more were added, and

which went; Bob the builder, Can he fix it? Bob the

now there is the Tenor drum, with 30 notes.

builder, Yes he Can, and then finished with a Cha Cha Cha.

Steel pans are used a lot in Caribbean Carnivals, and often play Carnival music, as well as Calypso music, which we

I thought that the Steel pan drums were a very

played, but you can play all types of music on them.

nice, interesting instrument, that was fun to play. I

Calypso music is Afro-Caribbean music, which originated

definitely learnt a lot about them and would use

in Trinidad and Tobaga, like steel pan drums. Lots of

them again.

instruments can be used to play Calypso music, we used shakers, cow bells, tambour, and of course, steel pan

20.9.2023

drums. Call and response is used a lot, we did Bob the Builder.

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fantasy favourites

from Harry Potter to Shadow & Bone, discover your new fantasy favourites...

Y9+

Y10+

Romance Power Magic

Y8+

Y7+

Romance Determination Mythical

Y10+

Mystery Ghosts Suspense

by Inaya Lad

Magic Friendship Bravery

Y8+

Greek myth Power Magic

Friendship Romance Royalty

Want a book or genre showcased? Have a good recommendation?

Contact Inaya

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DOGS OF SFC There’s no denying that we all love our dogs - so here is a a very cute collage of SFC’s own furry friends.

Finn

Buddy Bjorn and Miska

Bella Teddy

Puddles

Chester

Johnny

Fudge & Skye

Teddy 9

Monty Chester

George

Betsy, Bernie and Ella

Benji

Willow

Tululah Snuggles

Freddy

Buddy

Bobby

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TEYTE’S POLITICAL EDITORIAL Another term, another newspaper, and that means another political editorial. It’s always hard to decide what to write, that’s factually correct and gives you important information. In my last editorial I told you all to look for the good news, but as to be expected, since the last post a lot has happened politically around the world, which makes its hard to seek out the good news. The House of Representatives have voted to expel Rep. George Santos from congress as he faces criminal convictions for 23 federal charges, money laundering and wire fraud. With former Presidents up for criminal convictions and the Israeli v Palestine conflict, it’s hard even for myself as a Politics student to not feel faithless in current society. However, I would like to highlight some important POSITIVE news that has happened recently; Honduras inaugurates their first ever female President and the first ever Female Supreme Court Justice died at the age of 93, where many celebrated her life and accomplishments, and spoke of how they were inspired by her.

I saw some of this first hand in my trip this summer. Recently I travelled to Washington DC, where I was constantly reminded of the all the soldiers that fought for their freedoms and made the ‘ultimate sacrifice’. When I went, I witnessed a beautiful moment where I was fortunate enough to witness the Vietnam War Soldiers visiting the monuments where they paid their respects to their fellow deceased soldiers. Many were emotional and thanking them for their service, but I was reminded that whilst we live in a free society where we feel safe and protected, others had made the sacrifice for us to have and live in that freedom.

‘Freedom is not Free’.

As Christmas nears and we visit our loved ones, and eat lots of Christmas foods, it’s important to remember that there are others fighting in the world for freedoms that we enjoy every day.

There are others that won’t get to enjoy Christmas this year, due to fear and anguish. So keep them in your thoughts this Christmas!

See you next time.

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Puzzles and games: I’m sure that everyone has done puzzles, but do you know how old they are? They were invented in the 18th century by a mapmaker, and they weren’t even called puzzles to start with! They used to be known as dissected maps, and were meant to help children learn Geography. There was once a puzzle made that couldn’t be solved! It was made by a company for April Fool’s Day, and it has only 5 pieces. The first 30 people to buy it were so angry that they got their money back!

Jigsaw puzzles aren’t the only type of puzzle though, there are also logic puzzles, like sudokus, crosswords and number towers. Logic puzzles have been around for a long time, and the first time they became popular with the public can be traced back to when Lewis Carroll wrote a short book called ‘The Game of Logic’. There is a logic puzzle that is said to have been made by Einstein that can only be solved by 2% of people, can you be one of them? Give it a go: There are five houses of different colours next to each other. In each house lives a man.

Each man has a unique nationality, an exclusive favourite drink, a distinct favourite brand of cigarettes and keeps specific pets. Use all the clues below to fill the grid and answer the question: "Who owns the fish?" Here are some clues to solve it: 1. The Englishman lives in the house with red walls.

2. The Swede keeps dogs.

3. The Dane drinks tea.

4. The house with green walls is just to the left of the house with white walls. 5.

The owner of the house with green walls drinks coffee.

6. The man who smokes Pall Mall keeps birds.

7. The owner of the house with yellow walls smokes Dunhills.

8. The man in the centre house drinks milk.

9. The Norwegian lives in the first house.

10. The Blend smoker has a neighbour who keeps cats.

11. The man who smokes Blue Masters drinks beer.

12. The man who keeps horses lives next to the Dunhill smoker.

13. The German smokes Prince.

14. The Norwegian lives next to the house with blue walls.

15. The Blend smoker has a neighbour who drinks water.

If you want to give it a go, there is a useful website https://www.brainzilla.com/logic/zebra/einsteins-riddle/ that you can use.

Good luck solving it!

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Want to have a go at solving some?

Try and fill in the sudoku or have a go at the number tower, work out which numbers are missing from them both.

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fashion

show 2023

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ART

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Why do we like to win?

By Ilinca Paintings in the Lascaux caves in France depicting sprinting and wrestling show that the history of sports extends back to as far as 15,300 years ago. Sports have been integrated into society for thousands of years and from the beginning, the aim has been to win. After all, what is the point of a tennis match if no one is crowned champion? Why would athletes spend so much money, time and effort trying to be the best if no one actually cared? However, this need to win has sparked debates, as its impact on athletes and the reputation of sports often has been negative .

It is human nature for an athlete to always want to win. Primal instincts of self-preservation and survival are motivators for success; if a living organism does not fight to survive, it will die. In a sporting context, trait theorists suggest that champions are genetically predisposed to a desire to win, leading them to behave in ways that accomplish this goal. Furthermore, winning releases dopamine, a hormone linked to pleasure and motivation, so when an athlete wins, they feel good about it and want to experience it over and over.

In a materialistic society, winning has been attributed to financial gain and fame. The rewards an athlete gets from succeeding in competition are another incentive for them to focus everything they do on winning. Rewards give athletes validation and it makes their hard work worth it. A study carried out at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 looked at facial expressions of athletes who made the podium.

As expected, first place winners’ expressions showed happiness and as did third place winners. Second place winners, on the other hand, often had blank expressions. Their accomplishment was overshadowed by the fact that they narrowly missed out on first place, whereas third place finishers were simply happy to have made it onto the podium. This highlights how important winning is to athletes - even being second best in the world is not enough.

Problems come to light when looking at what lengths athletes will go to in order be the best.

Taking performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) and using questionable tactics are too common among athletes at all levels and are sometimes even encouraged by those around them.

Athletes will look for ways to bend the rules to gain an advantage, but sometimes, breaking the law is not their biggest concern.

At the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, the 100m men’s final was nicknamed ‘the dirtiest race in history’ after two of the three medallists failed drug tests. Canada’s Ben Johnson achieved a world record time of 9.79 seconds, but it was discovered he was using steroids and was stripped of his gold medal. Second place winner Carl Lewis was awarded the gold medal and was seen as a hero racing against a cheater, but in 2003, it was found he too had failed three drug tests in the Olympic trials but was still allowed to keep the gold medal. With two other athletes in the 1988 race testing positive for PEDs, there has never been a sprinting race with so many cheaters taking part and getting caught.

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In 1980, Rosie Ruiz impressed the running world after finishing the Boston Marathon in an impressive 2 hours, 31 minutes, and 56 seconds, claiming the title of the first woman to cross the finish line. However, suspicions arose when she could not answer runningspecific questions in interviews and when spotters could not recall seeing her at various checkpoints. Investigations uncovered that she had entered the race a mile from the finish line, deceiving volunteers into marking her as a finisher. It was revealed this was her second time cheating in a marathon, having taken the subway during the New York Marathon to qualify for Boston. She was disqualified from both races, and her actions damaged the integrity of the marathons.

There are numerous impacts of pressure to succeed in sports on mental health. Athletes often face intense scrutiny, high expectations and the constant need for perfection. The weight of competition, along with the desire to meet personal and external standards, can contribute to increased stress levels and anxiety. Persistent pressure may lead to conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression, and burnout. Additionally, the public spotlight and the scrutiny of fans, media, and coaches can cause feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. Recognizing and addressing the mental health challenges associated with this pressure is crucial and creating a supportive environment that prioritizes well-being over achievement is essential for the overall well-being of athletes.

Simone Biles, a highly accomplished American gymnast, gained attention during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics when she withdrew from events, giving mental health and the twisties as her reasons. This led her to prioritize her well being over competition.

Biles' decision sparked a global conversation on mental health in sports, highlighting the intense pressures athletes face. Her openness contributed to a wider movement advocating for mental health awareness and support in the athletic community. Biles was inspired by Naomi Osaka (Japanese Tennis player), who took a break from tennis for her mental health.

In summary, the need for victory in sports, driven by human instincts and external factors has a darker side, revealed through doping scandals and deceptive tactics. From the infamous 1988 Olympics sprinting final to Rosie Ruiz's cunning deception in the Boston Marathon, the pursuit of success has not always been a fair game. The toll on athletes' mental health, was highlighted by Simone Biles' courageous decision to prioritize wellbeing over competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. As the sporting world faces these challenges, the demand for a more compassionate and supportive environment that values mental health alongside achievement becomes increasingly relevant.

Keywords: Trait theorists: suggest that individuals have certain characteristics that determine how they behave and perform in different situations. Theorists such as Eysenck and Cattell argued that characteristics are inherited from parents and that they are stable predictors of personality.

Steroids: performance enhancing drugs that increase muscle mass and decrease fat.

Twisties: when a gymnast loses control of their body while spinning through the air.

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MEDSOC

By Christa

MEDSOC is an exciting club that has been running for many years at St Francis’. It’s an opportunity to learn more about the realities of applying and getting into medical school. This time of year is the busiest part of a med school applicant’s life, due to the demands of studying for the UCAT or BMAT, submitting UCAS applications and preparing for med school interviews.

These past few weeks, we have been focusing on the roleplay aspect of Multi Mini Interviews (MMIs). MMIs have become the most common type of medical interviews in the last few years and consist of stations where you have to tackle situations you may face in a medical or even non-medical setting. For example, explaining how to get from point A to point B on a map that is in Portuguese when you only understand English. They are designed to test your communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal, problem solving, motivation to study medicine, and knowledge on different topics, such as ethics in the medical field. We’ve had a great deal of fun collaborating with the GCSE drama students to make this happen.

They especially did a great job this week by acting out a scenario where they had to pretend they had their cat runover. We were all holding back our laughter during their amazing performance, especially when things like ‘You have glasses! How can you not see?!’ were shouted out. I can definitely say I was taken aback by the passion they showed, but their phenomenal acting really challenged me and other medical applicants to think about how we would deal with a similar situation if it came up in an interview.

Alongside this, medical applicants and future medical applicants have had the opportunity to talk to alumni who are now studying medicine in university, such as a previous Head Girl. From them, we have understood what type of questions to expect in interviews, as well as what life is like at university in general and while studying Medicine. (Contrary to what people may think, having a social life is still possible while studying Medicine!) Their stories have encouraged us more and have helped calm anxieties that are often associated with studying Medicine.

As the President of MEDSOC, I would encourage students to consider Medicine or medical related professions, as, although it is a long course in university, it is extremely gratifying. Even if you do not want to study Medicine at university, there are so many pathways into Medicine or a career that is medical related. MEDSOC is a great way to learn about these pathways, as well as the different fields you could go into, like Epidemiology, Plastic surgery, Forensic Pathology and more!

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A LEVELt PHOTOGRAPHY

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SARAH

Photos of the college

What is F1 in schools?

•

F1 in Schools is an international STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) competition for school children (aged 11–19), in which groups of 3–6 students have to design and manufacture a miniature car out of the official F1 Model Block using CAD/CAM design tools.

• The competition is currently operational in over 40 countries. The competition's aim is to introduce younger people to engineering in a more fun environment. The competition is held annually, with Regional and National Finals. In the UK competition there are 3 classes of entry: Professional Class aimed at 11- to 19-year-olds; Development Class aimed at 11- to 19-year-olds in their first year; and Entry Class aimed at 11- to 14-year-olds.

How do you get involved?

If engineering is something that you find interesting, then please come to our F1 in schools club which is every month on a Wednesday lunchtime.

At this club we explain more about Formula 1 is and what the F1 in schools’ competition entails.

• There will also be the opportunity to take part in the F1 in schools competition next year!

•

IF THIS INTERESTS YOU PLEASE CONTACT Chloe K Carina L Grace W

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SUBJECTS Computer Science

Years 7 to 9 continue to learn the basics of Python to enable them to become fabulous empowered programmers. In Year 7 students had the opportunity to compete in the global Bebras Computational Thinking challenge. Betsy Porter and Isla Button were in the top 10% nationally and have been invited to take part in the Oxford University Coding Challenge in January. In Year 8 students studying Computer Science were invited to take part in CyberFirst a National Cyber Security Competition. In Code Club students continue to prepare for the Perse Coding Team Challenge in January.

Chemistry We have been busy in Chemistry lessons this half term. In Year 9, we continue to investigate the reactivity of metals through a series of investigations. At GCSE, Year 10 have learnt the many ways that atoms and molecules can interact with each other and the impact of these interactions upon their physical and chemical properties. A Level Chemists have studied the chemistry of Transition Metals, understanding their unique, colourful properties by studying their associated electrochemical properties. To close this busy term, classes have got creative, modelling 'molecular baubles' to add a festive feel to the final lessons of term.

French Normandy Trip - Year 11/13 - an immersive language experience - staying in a rural centre close to the Mont St Michel. A range of activities - the Mont St Michel crossing including quick sand, rivers and jelly fish!, the D Day landings, Bayeux Tapestry, Goats Farm, Activity Day, local town and market.

GCHQ language based competition - fiendish word puzzles. Year 10 had 4 teams battling their wits against these challenges - great determination and lots of successful puzzling.

Aachen Trip - Years 8-13 - a magical Xmas close to the term: a tour of this beautiful city and its cathedral, gingerbread tasting, a myriad of stalls to choose from, a xmas shopping extravaganza and acres of Lindt chocolate on the last day!

Penpal exchange set up for all years with the Légion d'honneur school - great excitement as the replies arrive.

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Business

Year 13 students have been examining how firms grow. They have being using different managerial tools such as SWOT analysis, Porters 5 forces, Ansoff’s matrix and investment appraisal to aid their decision making techniques. They have developed their ability to think logically by using concepts such as decision tree analysis and critical path analysis.

They have recently moved onto looking at globalisation and will look at the benefits and costs of trading blocs, free trade, and protectionism next year.

Economics This term the students have looked at how businesses behave in different market structures. The students have examined different business objectives and how conduct is altered because of the level of competitors. Using lots of diagrams to support their arguments has been something they have slowly adapted to.

They have recently returned to macroeconomics and are looking at taxation more closely.

We have discussed the impact of taxation of the incentive to work, the general price level in the economy and the distribution of income in society.

In November they attended a student conference, at Headington School Oxford, offered by the think tank Institute of Economic Affairs.

The conference started with a lecture examining the success of Russia following the collapse of the USSR. Grace said, "the Russia lecture showed that free market economics is the canvas upon which innovation paints the pathways to prosperity and progress."

After a brief break, a lively presentation examined the gender pay gap. Data was questioned and differing contexts were considered.

Questions such as ‘Should women football players be paid the same as male football players?’

Alice said "The PowerPoint presentation was amazing. It was really interesting. I think using football as an example for gender pay gap difference was good. I think using tennis would have been a good counter example.”

The final session examined the causes of inflation. The main argument was central banks acted irresponsibly by pumping money into the economy during the pandemic.

An interesting day!

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Music We’ve had two Teatime Concerts this term. The first was giving by our Music Scholars and second by Prep and Senior String students. These informal concerts give our students a great opportunity to perform to an appreciative audience. Seeing the younger pupils so inspired by the older students in a mutually supportive environment is wonderful.

Mr. Burrell, a highly respected composer and teacher, visited St. Francis’ twice this term to work with our GCSE and A Level Music students. The inspiring sessions he delivered provided valuable insights into composition and its development. All students composed two pieces under his guidance and performed these to their peers.

The Music Department supported the amazing Recycled Fashion Show by making a bottle marimba. Mrs Bland collected empty plastic bottles from students at school and was able to use some old bicycle valves to put the instrument together. Natalie and Hayley performed a piece by Bizet on this instrument to a delighted audience.

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autumn concert

The Autumn Concert was a huge success; showcasing the huge array of talent we have at the St. Francis’. The concert featured a diverse range of music, including pieces from Purcell, Beethoven, James Hook, a traditional Japanese song, musical theatre, pop music as well as compositions by our own students; creating a memorable experience for all. We had several ensembles performing - Viva Voce, Orchestra, Music Theatre, Senior Strings, Rock Band, The Pedestrians and some smaller groups. The concert opened with a collaborative item with over 100 students from Prep V, VI and Years 7,8 & 9 performing together. Ella and Jess compered the evening and kept us highly entertained whilst the Year 9 stage management team did a fantastic job helping the evening run smoothly. Mr. Bland and Mr. Hulme provided the technical support for the concert, it was fantastic to have professional lighting and sound.

Art and Photography GSA competition

Three students from St Francis made it to the final of the GSA photography competition; Teyte, Maisie and Anna. They took part against hundreds of students from different schools all over the country and made it through to the shortlist. Well done!

YEAR 10 & 11 Art

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Editor’s Note

By Jess and Anna We would both just like to thank you all for reading the second edition of the SFC post. This term has been filled with many trips, achievements and events which represents all the hard work which has been put in by Students, Staff and everyone in the SFC community over the past few months. I’m sure you can agree that we’re all excited to see what next term brings.

We both want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

See you in 2024!!!!

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