The Laurels May Newsletter 2024

Laurels’ News

Ten years of The Laurels

We started the half-term by marking our 10th anniversary with a thanksgiving Mass celebrated by Bishop Moger

Everybody is focused on exam preparation in the summer term, but there’s still been time for a wonderful practice expedition for the Duke of Edinburgh participants.

Life on the world stage

Professor Luis Franceschi, Assistant Secretary to the Commonwealth, gave pupils an insight into world diplomacy when he visited recently 1

Spotlight on Arete

Mrs Fernandez gives an insight into one of the branches of our Arete programme, ‘Women who Love’

Maths round-up

Girls are encouraged to participate in a wide-range of activities in and out of the maths classroom Read more

Other features

Find out about recent competition successes, learn some tips to help your daughter prepare for exam season, and more

Loving the world of work and study

Instead of viewing study or work as a burden or a trial, pupils can see it as an opportunity to truly make a difference for good in the world.

Sometimes the weight of the world can press down around us, and our daily routine can seem oppressive. How many people can’t wait for Friday, the start of the weekend? However, it is in our work (and study is a form of work) that we can strive to be better people, truly love others, and glorify God

St. Josemaria, the ‘saint of ordinary life’ and whose feast day we celebrate on 26 June, made this central to his message. In a 1967 homily titled “Passionately Loving the World,” he spoke about how when we do things with love, “the most insignificant everyday action, that action overflows with the transcendence of God.”

He clearly saw the connection between work and virtue Virtue is found in doing daily work well and with as much love as we can. Indeed, the etymology of diligence means to do our work lovingly. This means paying attention to the detail, finishing things off well and putting all our focus into the task at hand

Everything can be transformed into a gift to others and God when we view work and study through this prism.

Finding joy

"The

etymology of diligence means to do our work lovingly.”

This is why when we help our pupils to reflect on the different virtues such as perseverance, fortitude and order, we are also helping them to become better students It also means that, instead of viewing study or work as a burden or a trial, they can see it as an opportunity to truly make a difference for good in the world. This is an uplifting and inspiring message Nothing is too trivial or insignificant. Everything and everyone matter It is all about the lens through which we choose to view our lives!

The more we can help our pupils to live their lives in this whole-hearted way, the more they will find joy in the little things of everyday life. That is why I am delighted to see how our pupils enter into the different aspects of school life fully participating in all of the activities we have to offer This newsletter shows you some of the highlights of this term. I hope you enjoy finding out about some of the things our pupils have accomplished

Mrs Linda Sanders

Year 11 filled school with joyand balloons - to show their gratitude on their last day before study leave.graph text

It’s our 10th Anniversary

We’ve come a long way since we opened with ten girls in the basement of another school in Clapham! The same year, The Cedars opened in South Croydon.

Both schools marked the celebration of our 10th anniversaries with a special Mass of Thanksgiving in the Church of Virgo Fidelis

We were honoured to welcome Bishop John Moger, the Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark, who was the principal celebrant

For the first time, the choirs of The Laurels and The Cedars joined to sing together, and Fr George gave an inspiring sermon reminding us all of our mission.

Afterwards, the PACT hall was packed with current and former members of staff, parents and pupils, gathered to celebrate the first decade of our schools and to toast the next!

Mrs Sanders was appointed founding headteacher of The Laurels, when a group of parents decided to open a school with a Catholic ethos in South London The school quickly moved to Atkins Road in Clapham as numbers grew, then to Chelsea When the opportunity arose to move to the former Virgo Fidelis girls‘ school in Crystal Palace, The Cedars could move from South Croydon too Last summer, we reached a momentous stage in our shared history when Oakwood School, founded 26 years ago, moved to the site as well. For the first time, children from 4 to 18 can be educated together in one location.

5 MAY 2024

World view

We were honoured to welcome Professor Luis Franceschi, Assistant Secretary General of The Commonwealth, to school recently. He gave an insightful and inspiring talk to the older pupils from The Laurels and The Cedars. Mr Doran, Head of the Sixth Form, writes about his visit.

Prior to taking up his position in the Commonwealth, Professor Franceschi was founding Dean of the Faculty of Law at Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya Like our schools, Strathmore University was inspired by the educational vision of St Josemaria Escriva

In his assembly, Professor Franceschi traced the history of the Commonwealth from the end of the British colonial period to its present-day form

Some pupils hoping to study Politics, Law or International Relations, joined him afterwards for breakfast, to ask questions about his work and the role the Commonwealth plays in resolving international tensions, promoting

democracy and safeguarding human rights.The Commonwealth provides its 56 member states – 33 of which are among the smaller states in the world – with an equal voice in decision-making, and an important forum for mutual support in pursuit of common objectives

Across the two sessions, Professor Franceschi offered us many examples of the quiet but effective work of the Commonwealth In the last three or so years, the Commonwealth has played a part in averting six civil wars! During breakfast, Professor Franceschi answered questions on topics which included the current tensions between Venezuala and

"The prestige of the Commonwealth among member states clearly lies in the exercise of ‘soft power ’ - the building of trusting relationships and the personal commitment of its leading executives.”

Guyana, the Sri Lankan civil war, and the challenges of visiting countries with political instability. It was heartening to hear that, across much of the rest of the world – and certainly in Africathere are state leaders who pray, and who recognise that they need help in order to resolve the problems they face It was also very heartening to realise that there are organisations like the Commonwealth that work quietly but effectively for opportunities for member countries to collaborate and construct lasting solutions to shared challenges

Women who love

We look at one of the branches of our Arete programme, designed to equip our girls to understand the world around them and navigate the variety of relationships they may encounter throughout their lifetime: friendships, professional, dating, marriage, and more.

In our lessons, we cover all the compulsory topics of RSE (Relationships and Sex Education), following the Diocese guidelines, and aim to go beyond that, offering the girls a holistic approach that considers the full dignity of each individual. We also encourage the girls to reflect on what brings deep happiness in personal relationships ”

The Year 10s’ workshop, teaching the girls the languages of love, was very popular This concept was initially created by couples counselor Gary Chapman, who, after years of experience with couples, realized that people feel loved in different ways The five love languages are: quality time; words of affirmation; receiving gifts; acts of service; and physical touch

By discovering their love language and sharing it with others, they can strengthen their personal relationships (not only romantic but also friendships, family, etc ) and love people in a more meaningful way

They were excited to do the Love Language quiz which also helped them to think of ways in which they can effectively love others with different love languages We finished by watching a video about the importance of family relationships, which specifically highlighted the sacrifices mothers make for their children Watching the video allowed them to be more empathetic to other people's feelings and made them feel the gratitude for those so many things that their parents do for them every day

WRITTEN BY MRS FERNANDEZ

Making maths fun

For the second year, Year 7 at The Laurels joined with their counterparts from The Cedars for an afternoon of maths to mark Pi Day. It falls during Pie Week, but the focus was most definitely on 3.14 when everybody gathered on 14th March (get it?) in the PACT hall.

The special number Pi is a mathematical constant which was originally defined as the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its ratio and there are many fascinating things to discover about its properties

The pupils worked in mixed teams to explore Pi, tried some practical calculations and competed to see who could memorise Pi to the most decimal places Four pupils (three from The Laurels) managed to reach 20 places this year, and would have gone further if time had allowed!

Maths challenge

Pupils compete in the annual challenge run by the UK Maths Trust and participated in by thousands of pupils across the world Following the Intermediate Maths Challenge, Hannah in Year 10 and Helenka and Inaaya in Year 9 qualified for the next round, the Grey and Pink Kangaroos Congratulations to them on their success and to everybody who participated

Year 7 and 8 also took part in a UK Maths Trust event, participating in the Junior Maths Challenge during the summer term. Congratulations to Year 8 pupil Isabel, who was ‘best in school’, and to Mika, who was top among the Year 7 pupils.

ISA Winner

Well done to Aya in Year 7, who was second in the national ISA competition for an original Shakespearean monologue Aya’s piece was based on ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and her prize was the chance to perform at Mary Arden’s Farm in Stratford-upon-Avon It’s the second year running that a Laurels girl has had this success!

I hope

I hope the guns will silent be

As we rest where poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row

That stand as ghosts reminding me

In trenches deep where shadows lie

A symphony of whispers beneath the mud

Our hopes entrenched in fields of blood

Soldiers huddle beneath the troubled sky

But still we march enslaved by comments

Through blood and smoke we blindly plod

The same bleak path our comrades once trod

Orders unclear, guns in hands

The mud is thick, it sucks us down

Our spirits waver, our muscles ache Each step feels like the last we take In trench and wire we feel death’s frown

Their final cries we can’t forget Our fallen brothers rest on the soil

Echoes of strife, hours of toil

Their empty eyes filled with regret

I hope when war is done and past We’ll dig our guns into the ground

The peace once lost will now be found

Beneath the soil where poppies last

Bella in Year 9 was Highly Commended for this poem in the ISA national poetry competition. The judge commented on the ‘ambitious internal rhyme’ and the ‘impactful imagery throughout’.

Can Money Make You Happy?

Year 9 considered the topic of salary in their Arete sessions on Women Who Work with Mrs Prat Helenka offered an original approach in their debate on what matters Here is her opening statement (She’s pictured taking a wellearned break on the recent Duke of Edinburgh practice expedition.)

Imagine you can press a button If you press the button you get an infinite amount of money But there’s a catch If you press it, three strangers die I bet some of you are still wondering if you’d press it I don't think any of you are evil An infinite amount of money is tempting: never worrying about financial security, unlimited holidays, clothes, cars and yes, even donating to charity, helping people But ultimately, that’s three people's lives for paper, or nowadays a fake number on your phone, a few pixels There’s two undeniable facts about money: 1 It’s a concept 2 It corrupts Everyone chases after it for the 70-80 years we have on this planet and most never get it That’s your whole life, a blink in the grand scheme of things chasing after something that can never bring you satisfaction I know it’s a bold claim that money can't buy happiness, but it's true Studies show that after all basic needs are met (because, yes, generally poverty brings sadness) money barely increases happiness levels Humans are greedy Once we have something, we want more We eat past being full, we scroll for hours and we desire more and more money and things

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You might be wondering why I’m talking about this when I was meant to be giving a presentation on marketing, but this has been a big topic of conversation in Arete recently We laugh at the Year 7s with their Stanley cups but are we really any better? We chose our options, we ’ re thinking about our future career and all everyone says is money, riches, wealth, I want this car, I want this house. The truth is, our hyper consumerist society causes us to value material possessions so much that all we can think about in terms of our future job is how much money we’ll make to buy the newest iphone We forget that most of our life will be spent working: 40 years, 5 days a week 9-5 And I know many of you have already decided that you won’t enjoy your future job but that’s what you’ll be doing for most of your life Shouldn’t we be doing something that we enjoy, that actually will help the world?

And hey, I’m not advocating for communism, I’m Polish I don’t believe in ‘have nothing and be happy’, but we also shouldn’t see money as a solution to all our problems

I’m not saying you shouldn’t be rich If you can be rich, earn money, have breaks and still have time for relationships, go for it!

You’ve won at life!

We need more women in STEM We need more women with money, more women in power But what we don’t need is more greedy women, more corrupt women We need more women who love, more women who care, women who grow, who think and yes women who work But it’s all about the balance So don't just search for the highest paid job on Unifrog Don’t dedicate your life to something you won’t enjoy Don’t press the button on your friendships, your health, your family See money for what it is, a very useful tool but ultimately, not the purpose of life

Epigenetics

Parents may not have studied Epigenetics at school, but today’s pupils do. In this article, Mrs Choudhary, one of our science teachers, explains what it is and how research in the area emphasises the importance of introducing children to new activities and sport to encourage brain development.

Research conducted on identical twins has allowed scientists to understand the effect of both genetics and the environment on child development and academic outcomes

Identical twins are genetically identical, yet for some reason there are fundamental differences in personality, temperament, academic and sporting ability So, the old ideas that genes are ‘set in stone’ or that they alone determine development have been disproven Nature vs Nurture is no longer a debate and scientists have determined that both genes and the environment have huge influences on our behaviour and development

So, what is Epigenetics? It’s an emerging area of scientific research that shows how environmental experiences influence which genes are ‘switched on or off’ Genes, as we know, code for proteins which determine how a cell functions New experiences force the genes to switch on and new neural connections are made in the brain and nervous system It is a bit like starting a new task such as riding a bike for the very first time

It is tricky to get the brain to simultaneously pedal and manoeuvre the handles but during this experience the body is forced to switch on new genes and make new neural connections, thus making it easier each time you get on the bike

Children’s brains have long been described as ‘plastic’ and it is this plasticity that we can take advantage of as parents and educators of children If children are encouraged to read new text, or take on a new hobby or adventure, then the body will make a new set of instructions that can last a lifetime Research has shown that academic performance is massively influenced by reading for pleasure and taking part in extracurricular activities Taking part in sports encourages oxygen to the brain which influences new neural connections

Let’s keep challenging our children and help them to make the most of every opportunity

Bethany club

Around 30 girls went on a SPEC (Spiritual and Personal encounter with Christ) retreat It was a chance to get away from all the stresses of school and experience a calming time to rewind and remind ourselves about the importance of our faith It was a three-day trip, in which we not only learned about many virtues, but also had talks about our faith, were able to celebrate mass and adoration, and took part in so many fun activities Overall, it was an amazing trip, which we enjoyed greatlu Being out with our friends and strengthening our relationship with Christ, without any distractions, made this a refreshing and wonderful time

WRITTEN BY CAETANA, YEAR 9

Prepare for exams

Exam season can be a ‘testing’ time for pupils: stress in the lead-up and worry awaiting results.

As parents, it can be difficult to know what you can do to support your daughter during this time.

Place2Be, the young people's mental health charity, has created some tip sheets full of practical advice to help young people, schools and families manage stress during exam season.

Look for the signs

Stress can present differently in everyone - not sleeping/ sleeping more; no interest in food/ eating more; headaches and stomach aches; negativity; not enjoying activities If you notice your daughter is struggling, ask her what you can do to help

Let’s talk

Remind your daughter: it’s perfectly normal to feel worried or stressed about exams The key is to put these nerves to positive use Talk openly about how you cope with your own stressful situations, so your daughter has a positive role model for managing her emotions and time

Plan the day

Routines and rituals can help your daughter keep healthy habits, including getting enough sleep and eating well If she hasn’t already, encourage her to create a revision plan or timetable, splitting her day up into chunks, including regular breaks, and try to discourage her from staying up late revising

No pressure

Many young people feel they have to do well in their exams

to make their teachers, or families proud Be reassuring, positive, and help put things into perspective Remind your daughter that there is more to life than her grades, and her results don’t define who she is Reassure her: you will be proud of her ‘ no matter what’

Here to listen

Sometimes your daughter may not want to talk, so don’t force her to have a conversation that she doesn’t want to have Make yourself available but don’t pressure her to talk She may open up in situations where she feels less pressure, e g in the car on the way home from school, or during a walk

Wind down time

Find ways to help your daughter unwind after each exam, so that she doesn’t dwell on things that she could have done better or differently Watch a film or enjoy your favourite meal together, before she starts revising again

At The Laurels, we want to make sure that our families are prepared for the pressures of exams, so if you ' re concerned about your daughter’s stress, or find that she doesn’t want to talk to you, encourage her to speak to her tutor or another trusted adult at school

Summer of sport

The Year 7 football team came 3rd in the Coloma 7 a Side Football Tournament. Well done to goalkeeper Bree, awarded ‘Player of The Tournament’, defender Oliva K and striker Amelia, for outstanding play.

Summer means Athletics season, and the different year groups have been competing at Croydon Sports Arena against teams from across the area

We’ve had some excellent performances so far, including:

Zainab B and Aurora R placed 3rd in the Year 9 High Jump; Bella, 4th in the Year 9 100m; Olimpia, 5th in the 1500m; Sofia FB won silver in the Year 8 200m

Congratulations too to our Sports Ambassador, Caroline K in Year 10. She was given a wildcard to participate in the Mini London Marathon Championships after qualifying in March. The race took place the day before the London Marathon, along the last 2 6km of the famous route

This term The Laurels pupils have been introduced to Tag Rugby, a new sport that they have not done before The girls have enjoyed learning new skills and embracing the fast-paced sport of Tag Rugby, and it has become a popular after school club The skills the girls have learnt during the club this term will be developed next year, when The Laurels will compete in tag rugby competitions and matches against other schools

Upcoming events

Wednesday 5th June

Thursday 4th July

Year 10 exams start Summer Showcase

Monday 10th June

Monday 8th July

Key Stage 3 & Year 12 exams start Prizegiving

Friday 14th June

Tuesday 9th July

GCSE Art Exhibition 12 noon - End of term

Thursday 20th June

Feast of Corpus Christi

Monday 24th June

Enrichment Week begins

Saturday 29th June

Summer Fete

Wednesday 3rd July

Sports Day