The Stag, Issue 21

THE

STAG

Issue 21, Lent Term 1, 2024

The Stag

CONTENTS PAGE Highlights:

School Events and Sport:

Sticking to Your New Year’s Resolutions pg 1 Westminster Politics Trip - pg 2

Hockey Report- pg 18 Dance Report - pg 19 Powell House Concert - pg 20

Politics and International:

House Reports:

The Olympics Creates Waves - pg The Rise of the Far Right - pg 3 The Essequibo Crisis - pg 7

How Jo Koy started and ended his career in one night - pg 9 My Encounter with a Yellow Helicopter pg 10

Blackwater - pg 21 Craig - pg 22 Gonville - pg 23 Nugent - pg 24 Pennell - pg 25 Powell - pg 26 Reeves - pg 27 School - pg 28 Wargrave - pg 29 Watt - pg 30

Be You Celebrates:

Interactive:

Maggie Aderin-Pocock - pg 12

Winter Warmer: Tomato Soup - pg 31 National Trivia Month - pg 32 Horoscopes - pg 34

Current Affairs:

Culture: Discover a New Author - Madeline Miller - pg 13 The Aesthetic Impact of Sophia Coppola - pg 14 Is This Art? - pg 16 Understanding Fashion - pg 17

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

This magazine is written for pupils by the pupils of Eastbourne College. It is not an official College publication and is not meant to be an accurate reflection of every activity or event across the College; nor (obviously) is every pupil mentioned. The magazine is for the Eastbourne College community only, so please do not send it on to friends or family. We hope you enjoy reading our magazine!

The Stag

HIGHLIGHTS

STICKING TO YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS By Emma Birch New Year’s resolutions are said to have originated from the ancient Babylonians. They are the first to haverecorded celebrations honouring the new year, in which they made promises to the gods to pay their debts and return any borrowed objects. These can equate to our New Year’s resolutions today.

Since then, these ‘promises’ have been important in many areas of life, such as with the Romans in offering sacrifices and promises to deities, as well as the early Christians using the start of the new year as a time of reflection and resolving to become better people.

Although originally a religious tradition, New Year’s resolutions today are mostly seen as a secular practice where people focus solely on self-improvement, with 45% of Americans saying they usually make New Year’s resolutions but only 8% achieving their goals.

Here are some tips on keeping to your resolutions in 2024:

Tip 1: Surprisingly, do not make resolutions!

Often when we place a ‘rule’ or ‘deliberative goal’ on ourselves we do not stick to it, which places a lot of stress and pressure on what seems like cheating. Instead, try and set a goal and understand the practical, step-by-step way of achieving this.

Tip 2: Understand the importance of why the change from this resolution is important to you By reminding ourselves of the importance of our resolutions we are able to hold ourselves accountable, allowing us to stick to our goals.

Tip 3: Focus on what you want, but appreciate the things you have Taking the time to recognise what you have done as the year goes on not only contributes to making us more positive people, but also encourages us to keep persevering in our endeavours as we realise the achievements that we have made.

Tip 4: Do it with others By sharing your New Year’s resolutions with others, you will experience greater drive and motivation to stick to them as people you know are also doing it and can hold you accountable. This means you are more likely to accomplish your goals. This works in other areas of life too.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Page 1

HIGHLIGHTS

The Stag

WESTMINSTER POLITICS TRIP

By Clara Delaney On December 4th, the Politics Department embarked on an exciting trip to London to the POLECON 2023 Politics Conference, hosted at the beautiful Methodist Central Hall in Westminster.

An exciting array of guest speakers, from Jeremy Corbyn to Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, gave speeches on a huge variety of salient issues: Scottish nationalism, the growth (or decline) of the Liberal Democrats, Brexit, immigration, anti-Semitism in the Labour party, Israel-Palestine and the cost-of-living crisis.

“The speakers were interesting, all handling the often-searing questions they faced with care and attention” First up was Sir Chris Bryant MP (Labour), followed by Sir Ed Davey MP (Liberal Democrat). Davey gave a passionate speech on the relevance of the Liberal Democrats today and the third way that they represent themselves, followed by questions from the audience. To thunderous applause from the hundreds of A-level students present, Jeremy Corbyn came on next to deliver a blistering speech on the failures of the current government on issues such as climate change.

kindness and fraternity to be the approach for immigration and foreign policy.

After a talk from Sian Berry on Green Party policy, Jess Philips MP (Labour), came on stage, and gave a speech on the Gaza conflict and combating domestic violence.

Following speeches by David Davis and Stephen Flynn, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg entered the hall to a chorus of cheers and boos, to give his argument as to why the Conservative Party deserves to be given another chance at the polls in 2024 and the party vision for pushing through the Rwanda Policy, followed by a round of piercing questions from the audience.

Finally, Sajid Javid MP (Conservative), offered another speech in defence of the current government.

The speakers were interesting, all handling the often-searing questions they faced with care and attention. All enjoyed the wonderful opportunity provided by the conference to delve into current issues with the people closest to the beating heart of government.

After a speech by the Shadow AttorneyGeneral, the Lord Dubs (Labour) followed on next. His own family having fled the Nazis to come to England when he was a young boy, Dubs voiced an impassioned plea for Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Page 2

INTERNATIONAL

The Stag

THE OLYMPICS CREATES WAVES

By Anya Rai

The Olympic Games is well known as the world’s biggest sporting event, having a global audience of approximately 3 billion people for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

However, it is a relatively new sport to the games that has recently received a lot of controversy. Surfing was added to the Tokyo games in 2021 and held at Tsurigasaki Beach. However, as Paris is holding the 2024 Olympics later this year, the surfing is to take place at the Teahupo’o wave, in Tahiti.

Tahiti is the capital of French Polynesia, a semi-autonomous territory of France, so as the island is renowned as one of the best surfing destinations in the Pacific Ocean, it seems to be the perfect destination to hold the surfing competition.

The controversy is due to a $5 million, aluminium judging tower the Olympic committee is set to build on the surf break.

Locals, surfers and now the wider population have protested and raised many concerns over the giant structure being built due to the damage it will cause the reef and wider aquatic ecosystem in the area. Reefs in Tahiti are vital for not only the marine organisms, but also because the locals on the island rely on the reef for their livelihoods in fishing and tourism. A group of scientists have researched the potential effects of the judging tower being built and have released that just the dredging for the barge path and tower construction is more than likely going to impact 2,500 square metres of reef, which could be detrimental.

The ISA (International Surfing Association) have spoken out against the construction of Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

the tower and have put forth more environmentally responsible plans to take into consideration. The new tower is not only putting the reef and ecosystem at risk, but the Teahupo’o wave itself, as the reef is key to how the wave forms and breaks.

Many people have come together to protest and petition against the construction, saying there is no reason to not use the temporary wooden tower, that has been taken down and stored for later use after competitions have finished for the past 20 years, especially as the Olympics will only be a three day long surfing competition. However, in late November the Olympic committee announced that they would commence with the construction of the tower, just with a few moderations to slightly downsize.

This was not the result that locals, surfers, environmentalists and the ISA wanted. More importantly, it begs the question: will damage like this continue to occur somewhere else every four years?

Page 3

The Stag

POLITICS

THE RISE OF THE FAR RIGHT

By Reuben Mace In a fracturing world, the bygone year of 2023 saw more conflicts and civil unrest than any other in post-war history. So as 2024 begins take hold and establish itself, the precarious geopolitical future of our planet is more uncertain than it has been since the cold war. Acts of unfathomable brutality, unprecedented waves of immigration and economic strife have driven many to dangerous extremes. People’s opinions and views have been more influenced by social media and globalisation than they ever have been. And most worryingly of all, as a consequence, it appears that the ability to look at multiple ideas and form a balanced opinion from them is becoming increasingly rare. Whilst the above factors have contributed most significantly to the support of the far right in many countries, the sudden rightward shift cannot be explained by these factors alone.

There are undoubtedly much greater forces at play, relentlessly driving the shift to hardline nationalism, and many fear that such a sudden and drastic change could unleash an apocalyptic, self-inflicted global catastrophe the likes of which has never been seen.

Geert Wilders Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Despite warning of the worst possible outcomes, it is not my intention to strike fear into the hearts of my readers. In fact, I must emphasise the fact that the likelihood of such a disaster occurring is currently extremely low. Instead, I simply intend to provide an objective insight into some of the main reasons behind why far right leaders are obtaining power in so many countries, and why such a rapid surge in populist politics may be a cause for concern. When on the topic of current far right leaders, a few names may spring to mind - those of Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, Argentina’s Javier Milei and Geert Wilders of the Netherlands.

“There are undoubtedly much greater forces at play” Though both Italy and Argentina may be no stranger to right-wing leaders like Benito Mussolini and general Jorge Rafael Videla respectively, the Netherlands has never seen a leader like Wilders, who got the largest share of the vote in 2023 with 1 in 4 Dutch voters choosing him. Regarded as a stable, typically centrist country, the Netherlands has historically been a staunch supporter of European unity and cohesion.

Wilders, however, won the lion’s share of the vote whilst advocating for Nexit, which would withdraw the Netherlands from the European Union in a similar fashion to that of the UK. It is important to note that Wilders was actually denied entry to the UK in 2009 on account of his Islamophobic policies, something which he still markets himself on today, even referring to Islam as ‘deadly’ at times. Though Wilders may have won the largest percentage of the vote, he fell short of an outright majority and will Page 4

POLITICS

need to form a coalition with other parties in order to govern. Even though this may be common practice in Dutch politics, the left has already stated that they will do ‘everything in their power’ to prevent Wilders from becoming prime minister.

“In times of crisis, the right wing rises” Currently, a similar situation has been underway in Italy since October 2022.

Despite being Italy’s first female Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni is one of the most right-wing in the country’s history. A populist, loved by some and hated by others, she is often an unpredictable force at the helm of one of Europe’s leading economic powers. Like Wilders, Meloni is also a sceptic of Islam, stating that ‘Islamic customs are incompatible with western values.’ Referred to at times as being more or less fascist, Meloni’s ideology has always taken a fierce stance against immigration in particular. Italy’s proximity to North Africa has made it one of the most viable destinations in Europe for refugees fleeing conflict, and in 2022 over 130,000 migrants crossed the Central Mediterranean in the hope of reaching Italian shores, compared to just 70,000 in 2021. This, coupled with issues such as high inflation, recession and further economic damage at the hands of COVID was enough to make the majority of Italians sit bolt upright and listen to what a charismatic Meloni had to say. And while Italy’s economy has begun to recover slowly, immigration numbers have halved once again throughout the course of Meloni’s first calendar year in charge.

Whether this is a mistake or not remains to be seen, as Italy is suffering one of the world’s worst population decline and fertility rate crises. Potentially, this population gap could be filled by people seeking new homes Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

The Stag in the country, but for now at least, they are reluctant to be welcomed.

Meanwhile in Argentina, wildcard president Javier Milei has just been inaugurated.

Naming himself as an ‘anarcho-capitalist’, Milei’s absurdly radical plans for his time in office include dollarisation and abandonment of the Argentine Peso, alongside the complete abolition of the central bank as an institution. This is a drastic shift away from the policies of former Peronist president Alberto Fernandez, who sought to incorporate ideas from both the right and the left into his manifesto. However, Fernandez’s Achilles heel was always the economy, with Argentina experiencing triple digit inflation in 2021 and 2022. This has made the Peso lose its value by almost 30%, and as a result Milei intends to send deliberate shockwaves through Argentina’s financial sector with his outlandish and risky pledges. Mr Milei has also been praised by former far-right world leaders including Donald Trump, who said that the new president would ‘Make Argentina great again’ (somewhat familiar words of his), and former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who stated that ‘Hope would shine again in South America’. Even Pope Francis II, himself an Argentine, has openly singled out Milei as a dangerous and provocative leader whose actions will only lead to consequences not just for Argentina, but also for South America as a whole. Though Milei, a practising Catholic, has attracted criticism from many of Argentina’s feminists and members of the LGBTQ community who say that they do not feel safe with him as president, 56% of Argentines were sick of the failing policies of former Peronist presidents and felt as if a character like Milei was needed to mark a shift away from such ideologies. Whether Milei truly is the man for such an arduous task will be seen in the next four years.

Page 5

The Stag

POLITICS

In times of crisis, the right wing rises. This pattern, as seen throughout history, is beginning to repeat itself once again.

Whether that crisis is war, immigration or economic hardship amongst others, the results often tend to be the same.

Desperation, anger and suffering never cease to pave the way for those who shout loudest. Though I have only commentated on three recent examples of this trend taking shape, it goes without saying that there are numerous other cases that would have to be covered in a wider dissertation instead of in a piece for a school magazine.

There simply isn’t the space, as much as I would like there to be. Nevertheless, one thing that always manages to find new spaces amongst gaps in maelstrom of politics is the far right – a weapon, a driver of division, but most of all, a spark that reignites the blazing inferno of hatred.

Giorgia Meloni Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Javier Milei

Donald Trump Page 6

The Stag

POLITICS

THE ESSEQUIBO CRISIS On the 3rd of December 2023, Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro announced a sudden referendum on an unusual matter.

The question was simple – should Venezuela use military action to annex all of neighbouring Guyana west of the Essequibo River or not. A simple question though it may have been, it is also one that has come with immense controversy and backlash towards the already unfavourable Maduro government. Not only that, but it has also struck fear into the hearts of many Guyanese people, with the country’s president Irfaan Ali not hesitating to mobilise troops near the Venezuelan border in case of an invasion. Ali has already appealed to the international community for support, with leaders such as Brazil’s Lula da Silva among the first to give military aid.

The British Navy have also deployed warships to the Guyanese coast, and the International Court of Justice has repeatedly condemned Maduro’s provocative actions, urging him to stop all plans of an armed annexation. Maduro, however, has received some support internationally, notably from Russia, China and Cuba. And with tensions between Guyana and Venezuela higher than ever before, an armed conflict between the two nations would further destabilise an already fragile South America.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

By Reuben Mace

Nicolas Maduro The question of the election’s legitimacy is very much up for debate. Venezuelan authorities have announced that over 10 million voters went to the polls to decide on the matter, with 95% voting in favour of the invasion. This claim is disputed, however, as journalists reported seeing very few people at the polling stations. Moreover, Venezuelan sources are not credited as reliable due to the lack of democratic freedom in the country, and it is believed that both the number of votes counted and the percentage of those who voted in favour is incredibly exaggerated. When confronted by the International Court of Justice on the matter, President Maduro’s response was that stopping the invasion from going ahead was against the will of the Venezuelan people. It is already a crucial time for Maduro anyway, since his government has agreed to hold presidential elections next year following much pressure from the United States. Maduro’s presidency itself is fairly disputed, with the presidential elections of 2018 being seen as neither free nor fair. As a result of this, the planned annexation is one tactic that Maduro has used to galvanise patriotic support among Venezuelan voters in order to ensure that he remains popular for the upcoming election.

Page 7

POLITICS

Political popularity schemes aside, another clear reason as to why the Maduro administration is keen to annex Essequibo is because of its immense natural wealth. The region is almost entirely covered by dense tropical rainforest, in which valuable woods such as teak, mahogany and rosewood can be harvested, as well as rubber. The region also has vast oil reserves that have recently been discovered, including offshore deposits as well, and large amounts of unexploited gold. Currently, the Guyanese government permits limited sustainable drilling in the region by companies like Exxon and Mobil, as most of the rainforest is protected as a national park. Guyana’s rapid rise as a new politically stable oil power has worked wonders for the economy, which experienced a growth of almost 25% in 2022, far higher than any other Latin American or Caribbean country. Meanwhile, despite sitting atop the world’s largest proven oil reserves, Venezuela has experienced one of the worst economic crises in history due to an over reliance on oil, which still accounts for over 90% of all its exports. As a result of previous falls in oil prices and international sanctions, Venezuela’s currency, the Bolivar, has become practically worthless, standing at around 2.5 million Bolivars to the dollar today. Therefore, having access to Essequibo’s bountiful resources would, in theory, assist Maduro greatly in trying to curb Venezuela’s hyperinflation, a crippling issue which has always plagued his administration.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

The Stag

Like with any other territorial dispute, there are historical reasons behind Venezuela’s intentions in Essequibo. Initially part of Venezuela during Spanish colonial rule, Essequibo was later incorporated into the colony of British Guiana at the Paris Arbitral Award in 1899. Having never withdrawn its claim to the territory, Venezuela would later protest the results of the award to the United Nations in 1962, but they were ignored and Essequibo would officially become part of a newly independent Guyana in 1966. Nevertheless, Venezuela today displays a clear interest in controlling the territory and, if Maduro’s motives in Essequibo are driven solely by greed and popularity, the threat of an all-out armed conflict should not be taken lightly by any means whatsoever.

Page 8

CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Stag

HOW JO KOY STARTED AND ENDED HIS CAREER IN ONE NIGHT

By Layla Cluskey El Jishi

This year’s Golden Globes was filled with big stars, gorgeous dresses and poor jokes. Held on Sunday the 7th of January, the event began trending because of awkward and rude jokes made by comedian and host Jo Koy, which were labelled misogynistic, offensive and generally unfunny.

It felt like Koy was going for a ‘Ricky Gervais monologue’ of attacking stars, but the difference is that in his monologues, Ricky calls out real issues of rape, sexism and more, whereas Koy seemed to just want to attack many women in the room with no cause or comedy behind him.

Jo Koy was largely unheard of before the event, and was given only ten days to prepare in advance (a fact which he brought up multiple times during the evening). His repertoire largely consisted of making jokes largely aimed at making fun of women and films made by women.

The best part of the evening was watching the stars awkwardly cringing or giving Koy death-glares as he made his rude and unfunny jokes, with the sound of prerecorded laughter playing as the actors sat silently.

He started off his monologue by making fun of Barbie, one of the most successful and highest grossing movies of all time. He described the movie as about “a doll with big boobies’, managing to completely miss the social and political messages in the movie.

Then he went on to make fun of the length of Oppenheimer, stating “Oppenheimer answered a lifelong question that’s been on my mind for years. Yes, scientists do get laidas long as they look like Cillian Murphy”.

The situation escalated to the point where Koy booed the audience for not laughing and said “Yo, I got the gig ten days ago. You want a perfect monologue? Yo, shut up...I wrote some of these [jokes] and they’re the ones you’re laughing at” Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Ouch. Reactions from stars in the audience.

Page 9

The Stag

CURRENT AFFAIRS

MY ENCOUNTER WITH A YELLOW HELICOPTER

By Tiggy Tutt

It was an ordinary Sunday. I was at home watching Notting Hill… I mean working, when I heard a terrific whirring of propellers overhead. This was then joined by the calling out of my enthusiastic dad telling me to come out and look at the helicopter, and “bring your camera”. I did in fact not bring my camera.

Excitedly though, I hurried out and crossed the road just in time to catch a vivid yellow helicopter creating a pool of windswept grass as it landed on our beloved College Field.

As I stood leaning against the wall, I was joined by many other members of the public also intrigued by this alien aircraft; not many exciting things happen in Eastbourne.

However, none of my fellow onlookers were lucky enough to be able to wander down

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Old Wish Road and actually on to the field.

This was of course a couple of minutes after my dad (an almost too sociable person and ex helicopter pilot himself) in order for him to test the waters.

Whilst making my way down the road, I passed two paramedics who I had just witnessed exiting the vehicle and were making their way into... well, they didn’t really know where they were going. Anyway, when I got to the landed helicopter, my dad introduced me to the captain, Mike Wong, and Cian O’Leary the first officer. Now, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t for the two pilots to be as, if not more, friendly and welcoming than anyone I’ve ever met. Now you may be questioning why I’m being so flippant about all of this, as they were obviously there to help someone in need. Nonetheless, Mike and Cian were informed that an incident in

Page 10

CURRENT AFFAIRS

the Beacon was not as serious as they originally thought and so they were no longer needed. They were also very happy with me writing this article, so don’t fret – Mike was even helping me to get all the angles for my photographs (with my dad’s phone as I didn’t even bring mine!)

Now, I’ll do my best to be more formal now as I tell you some information about what these brilliant pilots do and the operation as a whole.

Mike, who was piloting on this day, was a former Army Air Corps and then RAF helicopter pilot, but he now works for this Kent Surrey Sussex Air Ambulance Charity, where both himself and Cian (along with many others) enable help to be brought to so many people in need.

The actual helicopter was a Leonardo AW 169, and with two engines burns around 300 kilos of fuel an hour, whilst travelling at around 170mph. They are based in Redhill, and cover all of Kent, Surrey and Sussex, but their longest journey is 30 minutes.

The Stag They pilot the aircraft that carries first aid, supplies and seats for paramedics, doctors, family members, police officers etc. depending on the incident. Also, they average around four journeys out a day, but this differs depending on the seasons, and they can be called out for any type of incident (major or minor) as there may not be any land ambulances available at that time. This means that they could be out all day, and sometimes without food!

Now, this is not an inexpensive service to run, and it costs £16.5 million a year to run the whole operation, costing £45,000 a day!

The last fact that I have to say, and that I think is very interesting, is that they are allowed to land anywhere at all except from nuclear power stations and prisons, but if they are landing on a road, then they must make absolutely sure that they will not cause a crash. However, at night they land in bigger areas due to less depth perception, although the technology for detecting light and life etc. is so incredible I’m not quite sure how it all works!

“The whole operation costs £45,000 a day” I just want to say that it was an absolute honour to meet these two amazing people and learn about what they do for their community, whilst getting to learn more about this complex aircraft that I might be flying myself one day.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Page 11

The Stag

BE YOU CELEBRATES

MAGGIE ADERIN-POCOCK

By Tian O’Leary “Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock is a rare creature: an exciting figure at the forefront of space science who happens to also be a black woman. Her passion for her subject is inspiring.

She encourages a fascination in her subject, even if it is an area you know little about.”- Ms. Curren Life seemed to be pitted against her: the dyslexic daughter born to Nigerian immigrants who saw the UK as a panacea. Her experience of moving school a total of thirteen times in fourteen years only amplifies her transcendence of her disruptive childhood through wholly immersing herself in the wonders of the Milky Way. The deep attraction to outer space that became the driving force of her life was born from the simple show ‘The Clangers’, which she had seen when she was just three years oldsince then, space appealed to her because “life just seems challenging on Earth sometimes”. Her indignant declaration that she will “be a boy better than any boy” as a response to her

“Moving school a total of thirteen times in fourteen years” father’s disappointment as a child showcases the sexism virulent in certain cultures and society generally that she has used to fuel her aspirations which continue to grow today: her dream job is to be a project manager for a telescope on the moon. After all, at just 15 years old she crafted her own telescope, crushing up her mirrors, and, although taking six months, seeing the beauty of the moon craters was worth it.

incessant teasing from classmates. However, when she spoke to Nigerians she was often called ‘lost’, and an innate need to reduce the disconnect between her and her Nigerian culture is one she wishes her daughter does not have to experience. Additionally, Aderin-Pocock seemed to be relegated to be academically lesser due to her dyslexia, but she utilised her continuous moving of schools to change her status in schools: she was the dull, quiet girl at the back of the class in one, before a fresh, new school saw the exciting, bright version of her who avidly answered questions in science class.

The ceaseless barriers she faced in life only spurred Aderin-Pocock on, allowing her to see the bright side to situations and she has bloomed into an inspirational role model for all.

The Imperial College London was where she met her husband before becoming an ‘instrumentationalist’, as she describes herself: working on land mine detectors invoked many emotions of grief when working with the history of death and suffering. Yet her unending search to understand and to feel continues as her current specialisation in satellites offers a practical outlook of the world to help view the effects of global disasters and climate change.

By creating optical equipment for satellites she is essentially building the next generation of space telescopes. Hubble is remarkably old for space instrumentation, only working on visible light; the James-Webb telescope works with only infra-red light. What could be next?

“The ceaseless barriers she faced in life only spurred” In school, making friends was easy but the barrier between her and the white British students was evident - she labelled herself as Nigerian despite being British-born and having never visited Nigeria, and faced

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Page 12

CULTURE

The Stag

DISCOVER A NEW AUTHOR MADELINE MILLER

By Suki Sheraton

Madeline Miller teaches Latin and Greek, and all her books are set in the Greek Heroic Age. Her novels are classical mythology retellings which are narrated from a modern perspective featuring the kind of feminist angle and diverse representation that classical literature sorely lacks. Her revolutionary debut novel ‘The Song of Achilles’ is a reimagination of the Trojan War from the perspective of Patroclus, an important Greek mythological character, hero of the Trojan War and a central character in Homer's ‘The Iliad’. ‘The Song of Achilles’ illustrates a forbidden, passionate romance between Patroclus and his childhood friend the hero Achilles, as well as exploring the complicated and exciting politics of the Trojan War. It was the winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2012 and has been the recipient of countless praises, including its description as ‘more poetic than almost any translation of Homer’ and ‘a deeply affecting version of the Achilles story’ by Natalie Haynes (The Guardian).

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Miller’s second novel, ‘Circe’, is a powerful feminist adaptation of ‘The Odyssey’ and is told from the witch Circe’s perspective. This book is particularly interesting as it forces the reader to question the misogynistic perception of Circe that they may have acquired through reading of classic literature. The novel empowers Circe (a woman historically villanised and sexualised in Greek Mythology) by aiming to tell the story of her life from what Miller imagines to be her perspective.

Madeline Miller’s books are great to consider reading because of their emotional and gripping storylines and how well each character’s struggles and successes are explored. Also, these novels would be particularly appealing to people who are interested in Classics, Latin and Greek as they provide a fresh and unconventional take on classical literature whilst still exploring the epic tales of Greek heroes.

Furthermore, ‘The Song of Achilles’ and ‘Circe’ are perfect reading for those who want to get into the world of classics but are intimidated by enormous and complex texts such as Homer’s ‘The Iliad’. Miller’s books are modern and exciting as well as being of manageable length and complexity.

Page 13

The Stag

CULTURE

THE AESTHETIC IMPACT OF SOPHIA COPPOLA

By Layla Cluskey El Jishi

The key film in Coppola's work, ‘The Virgin Suicides’, tells the tale of five sisters who become increasingly isolated from their peers as their strict parents prevent them from living typical adolescent lives. Under their parents’ tyrannical rule, the girls become despondent and depressed, resulting in inevitable tragedy.

From the outside, the pretty, blonde Lisbon sisters appear to represent an American ideal, living in a quaint suburban home with their religious, conservative parents. Yet Coppola picks these ideals apart, depicting the girls’ cataclysmic downfall. Central to the film’s appeal is its rich visual style, defined by pastel colours, religious iconography, floral fabrics and overtly feminine clothing.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

In this film we see hazy shots of the yellowy sun bleeding through the trees and undergarments draped from crucifixes. Using her powerful aesthetic, Coppola creates the sense that something terrible is brewing. By lingering on static shots of the girls’ surroundings, she allows this feeling to prevail, the overtly feminine sets and outfits contrasting with the sense of impending and violent disaster. Until the release of the film, teenage girls had rarely been depicted in such a way on screen. As Coppola noted in an interview with Vogue, “You make things to connect with other people, and when I was young, stuff for teenagers was always condescending. I’m proud I got to make something about teens concerning serious topics where they were complex people and not just kids.”

“The Virgin Suicides” 1999

Sofia Coppola (left) and Kirsten Dunst (right) on set of ‘The Virgin Suicides’

Sofia Coppola's career began as an occasional actor, mostly working in the 1990s fashion industry and studying photography. However, she then moved more into film. She released her first short film, 'Lick the Star', following a protagonist filmed in hazy black and white images, and even in this first film you can see that her fascination with aesthetics was overwhelmingly apparent. However, her debut ‘The Virgin Suicides’ epitomises Coppola's signature style.

The fact that Coppola’s film not only treats teenage girls with respect but also prioritises overtly girlish visuals, typically given less value by the more male dominated film industry, is quite extraordinary. Since the filmmaker released ‘The Virgin Suicides’, she has continued to release movies that deal with similar themes of isolation and femininity, such as ‘Lost in Translation’, ‘Marie Antoinette’ and ‘The Beguiled’. Just like her debut, these films are also preoccupied with aesthetics, with the latter two featuring a particularly feminine visual palette.

Page 14

The Stag

‘Marie Antoinette’ 2006

Through complexly crafted characters, Coppola highlights the strife many young girls and women face. However, that hasn’t stopped many critics from making misogynisticallycharged comments about Coppola’s films, somehow finding little substance within her movies because of their equal preoccupation with visuals.

“The Beguiled” 2017

In defence of 'Marie Antoinette', critic Anna Backman Rogers states, “The misogynist implication that is embarrassingly evident here is that Coppola’s ‘pretty’ and decorative mise en scène is taken to signify nothing beyond its pleasing surface, indeed her oeuvre is frequently likened to cinematic pastry, a delightful cream puff, full of delicious air but lacking in meaty (and masculine) substance.”

Coppola’s work proves that movies can be pretty and feminine but also complex. Coppola’s criticisms over her career have been unfairly wagered compared to her similarly visuallydriven contemporaries, such as Wes Anderson or Michel Gondry. Of course, the difference is that Coppola’s movies are overwhelmingly feminine in both their visual form and content.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

However, Coppola’s legacy has inspired a generation of new filmmakers who have taken obvious inspiration from her work. From ‘I Believe in Unicorns’ to ‘Mustang’, Coppola has left a traceable influence through her dedication to championing cinematic femininity. Even her niece Gia Coppola’s debut feature, ‘Palo Alto’, is highly indebted to movies such as ‘The Virgin Suicides’, taking significant inspiration from its visual style.

‘Lost In Translation’ 2003

CULTURE

Images of Coppola’s work have become a mode of communication on the internet, often acting as a voiceless vessel for expressing female suffering, misunderstanding, and despair. Stills of Lux Lisbon laying motionless on the grass or Marie Antoinette crying have become shorthand for adolescent girls to communicate with others, both satirically and seriously. The phenomenon, finding popularity most prominently on TikTok, only highlights the enduring nature of Coppola’s films.

“Coppola has left a traceable influence through her dedication to championing cinematic femininity” The filmmaker has certainly achieved her aim of creating movies that explore young women in a way they are rarely granted access to onscreen, creating a space where their struggles are given visibility. By carving out a uniquely feminine visual palette within her films, Coppola is able to connect with her audience on a greater level, pulling us into her characters’ worlds and assuring viewers that femininity is not frivolous.

Page 15

The Stag

CULTURE

IS THIS ART?

By Missy Richardson

For this issue’s ‘Is This Art’ column, I decided to focus on something which you might have come across before.

French painter called Henri-Robert-Marcel Duchamp, born in the late 19th century, was known as a painter, sculptor, chess player, and writer whose work often was associated with Cubism.

In 1917 Duchamp bought an ordinary porcelain urinal, and signed it with the randomised initials “R. Mutt”. He then entered it into an exhibition with the name Fountain. Furthermore, Duchamp's audacious piece shocked and scandalised the world of art and permanently redefined the parameters of what could be considered art.

“I was drawing people's attention to the fact that art is a mirage.”

Although it is a very well known piece, I decided to choose Duchamp’s Fountain as I wanted to question what makes a piece of art, art. Who gets to decide, the artist or the critic? Can a work derive from an idea alone, or does it require the hand of a maker?

These questions strike at the core of our understanding of art itself.

Duchamp strongly believed that an ordinary object could be “elevated to the dignity of a work of art by the mere choice of an artist.”

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Within another interview in 1964, Duchamp implied that he had chosen a urinal because he thought it had the least chance of being liked (although many at the time did find it aesthetically pleasing). He continued: 'I was drawing people's attention to the fact that art is a mirage’.

Furthermore, Duchamp’s “fountain” piece, now worth over $2 million, has since relentlessly altered the deeper meaning behind art. On the other hand, the contemporary population thought it was almost like fraud. Their argument was that anyone could buy a urinal and write their initials on it. This debate continues the discussion on what it means to be an artist.

Page 16

CULTURE

The Stag

UNDERSTANDING FASHION

By Mandy Luo Fashion is everywhere; it is a type of expression, an embodied identity and a choice of lifestyle.

Usually when it comes to a piece of clothing, there are two complementary components that shape its appearance: its textiles and silhouette. The silhouette refers to the outline and the shape of a garment. It fundamentally provides the garment with a certain form, thereby setting the style, and the textiles and fabric side also play an important role.

Textile design is the foundation of fashion. It is anything to do with the fabric. Simply, without it and without acknowledging its intricacies, no form of clothing would exist. Fabric is the means of communication and innovation as it gives the designer the chance to be expressive with colours, textures and many inherent attributes. Many fashion designers establish their style and communicate to their audience through distinct silhouettes and textile designs, sometimes perhaps prioritising one over the other.

As sustainable fashion picks up rapidly among consumers, the rise to biodegradable fabric highlights a turn to textile design.

As an indicator of growing public concern about the topic, internet searches for “sustainable fashion” tripled between 2016 and 2019. Fashion designers and the textile industry now are more wary of the problem and are taking action to account for the waste.

These trends include: Converting agricultural waste into eco-friendly textile fibres Manufacturing fabrics from biomaterials like banana stems Sustainable dyeing Polyester recycling Using post- and pre-consumer fibre waste and recycled fabrics One can find oneself amazed by the extent of innovation and potential in creating a piece of fabric, and then seeing it unify with fashion.

internet searches for “sustainable fashion” tripled between 2016 and 2019 Through these prevailing forces that aim to make a change to environmental concerns, we are led to rethink and further balance fashion with the environment. By integrating the laws of nature into the textile and fashion industry, the future sees more potential in new creativity as well.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Page 17

The Stag

SPORT

HOCKEY UPDATE Unfortunately, the hockey season for the Girl’s 1st XI has drawn to a close as we have just been knocked out in the 3rd round of the National Plate against Bedford Girls’ School.

Although this was a disappointing finish for the squad, we definitely put up a good fight and everyone should be extremely proud of how far we have come as a team, after a great season.

The squad left Eastbourne on Sunday afternoon in a minibus to travel up to Bedford, where we then stayed in a Premier Inn for the night, ready to play the next day. The next morning, after fueling up with a hearty breakfast, we set off on the short drive to Bedford Girls’ School.

After some dodgy navigating skills from Mr Hill, and followed by an inspiring pep talk, we were on the pitch warming up.

I know I was certainly a bit rusty, after only having one training session since being back after Christmas, and so the start of the game was more of a chance for the team to remember how to actually play together again! However, Bedford took advantage of this and scored an early goal, followed a bit later by an incredible reverse hit goal. Nevertheless, 2-0 down at this point, the team were really getting into the game and had many opportunities in the opposing D. This finally paid off as captain Eliza scored an amazing goal after taking the ball into the D herself and using her incredible skills to move the ball around the defenders.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

By Tiggy Tutt

It was then half-time, and we knew that if we didn’t score the next goal, then we didn’t have much of a chance at winning, although our heads were a bit down at this point after pushing so hard to score but not getting any results. However, we went back out there and kept going, although it was a very tense second half. One might also say that the umpires were not quite as unbiased as you might hope but we didn’t let that stop us.

It was not until the last ten minutes of the match when we managed to score a second goal, which brought so much hope as we were now fully back in the game and had as much, if not more, of a chance than them at winning.

The final whistle was blown, which meant that penalty flicks were going to have to be taken.

Unfortunately, we had not quite practised for these, and although goalie Bertie did very well under the pressure, we missed all three of our flicks, which led to the end of our journey as a team.

The team will have an Old Eastbournian match in March, followed by the end of season dinner with the boys, but we will be saying goodbye to Eliza, Kirsty, Evie, Ella, Millie, and Liv at the end of the year, who will be great losses for the squad. However, there are great prospects in the younger years!

Page 18

The Stag

SCHOOL EVENTS

DANCE REPORT

This term has been brief but busy within the dance world, especially with the upcoming dance showcase.

So far GCSE students have participated in the CSP Within Her Eyes workshop on the 9th January in order to assist them on their upcoming GCSEs and lower sixth students have experienced an American Jazz workshop on Steam Heat which adds to the immense repertoire created for the showcase. In the upcoming weeks there will be a New York City Ballet Theatre trip for the Lower Sixth and the Year 11s will be preparing for their final filming of of their choreography.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

By Ella Banks

Dancers have been preparing for months to execute the incredible showcase and I am proud to say that this year will be our best.

We have been immensely lucky to have had two practitioners help us with routines. We have had a professional hip hop dancer, a commercial jazz dancer and Jodie Clark, an ISTD mentor from the Brit School help us to choreograph three amazing group dances to add to the diverse numbers prepared by both Miss Reid and the other students.

The dance showcase will be held in the JWA on Friday 15th March, 6:00-7:00pm.

Hopefully, we will see you there to showcase the talented dancers of this school.

Page 19

The Stag

SCHOOL EVENTS

POWELL HOUSE CONCERT

By Esteban Boruel-Lopez

On the 2nd of December, Powell House, led by compères Alex Davies (13), Sam Hamilton (13) and Fred Jensen (13), performed our house review to a full house, entertaining the masses with music, dance and acting to create a wonderful performance.

Commencing the evening’s proceedings was the Year 12 dance, comprised of mesmerising moves to the songs of High School Musical and executed with utmost flair and efficacy with the choreography of Jossi Pears (12) and Esteban Boruel-Lopez (12).

This was quickly followed by the Year 9 performance of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, spearheaded by the performance of Hugo Stevens (9). We were then interrupted with an ad break made by Year 10, which was found hilarious by all. The audience was then entreated with Zach Perry’s (10) singer-songwriter performance of his own song.

We then got to the comical renditions of Take Me Out by Year 11 and Powell Doesn’t Have Talent by Year 13, causing hysterics in the crowd. Wrapping up the evening, the Powell House Band performed Life is a Highway, along with a rather despondent performance of our house song, Everybody Wants to Rule the World (mainly down to the fact we’d forgot the lyrics). Overall, the night was a great success and fun for all.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Page 20

HOUSE REPORTS

The Stag

BLACKWATER HOUSE REPORT

By Anya Rai

Blackwater have had a successful start back in the New Year, after a well deserved rest over the Christmas holidays. At the end of last term the house enjoyed many festive activities from decorating the house, sending candy canes, a bauble making competition, Christmas dinner at Pomodoro’s and secret Santa, with some great presents given.

Recently Blackwater had their house dinner with Gonville. The theme was ‘A Day at the Races’. It was a great night, with great costumes ranging from flat caps to horse masks and watching the races definitely got competitive, with some tables luckier than others. Overall, all it was a brilliant night!

It has been a great start to the term so far.

Since coming back to school, some have had busier starts to the term then others. The Year 11s have been hard at work with their mocks over the first two weeks back; we hope that all their results were successful!

Due to the results of the Steeplechase that took place back in the Michaelmas Term, Maisie Gregory (Year 9) and Emma Valks (Year 10) were picked to run in the Sussex Cross Country Schools Championships where they both represented the house very well.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Page 21

HOUSE REPORTS

The Stag

CRAIG HOUSE REPORT Craig pupils have returned from the festive Christmas break, brimming with enthusiasm and prepared for the start of a new term.

By Dan Clarke

In sports, Jack Jordan showcased his ability by achieving an impressive hattrick in the U14A's inaugural victory of the season, while Jax Putland exhibited his skills with two wellexecuted tries during the U15A's cup match.

Despite the chilly conditions earlier in term, hockey matches continued. The U15s secured a win in the regional bowl, with standout performances from four Cronkites.

The gloomy weather and harsh mock exams have done nothing to quench the spirit of the Cronkites. Pupils are engaged in preparations for the house a Capella competition, and there's a buzz of creative ideas circulating for the upcoming Craig House Annual Performance scheduled for the last weekend of this term.

The CCF Heads of Section are looking forward to a visit to the House of Lords, with Ben Clark representing the RAF section.

Ben, alongside Harry Jordan, Jack Jordan, and Harry Shouksmith, played a significant role in the memorable end-of-term Christmas Carol Service last term.

Adding to our list of accomplishments, Jasper Penton achieved a remarkable feat by passing his driving test a mere nine days after celebrating his 17th birthday. The term ahead holds much anticipation and promise for the Craig community.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Page 22

The Stag

HOUSE REPORTS

GONVILLE HOUSE REPORT

By Connor Morrell

While the Lent Term has been quite uneventful in Gonville, it hasn’t stopped the Gonvillians from making the most of it.

With the recent Year 11 Mocks results coming in, we couldn’t be prouder of them!

‘Corridor Golf’ is a Gonville classic and was enjoyed by all those involved. Alex Chapman (10) was involved in the U15 Rugby Cup fixture winning against ‘Duke of York’.

Unfortunately, Tom Robins (10) was unable to play due to sickness.

Many Gonvillians competed in the cross country, representing the school. Milo Deniz (9), Herbert Phillips (9), Seb Bailey (9) and Lucas Gorrill (11), all tried their best and did not disappoint: Lucas won 2nd Place and the others finished in the top 200. Well done, boys!

Prior to the well-deserved Christmas break, the staff and pupils in Gonville went out for a festive Christmas dinner. Jokes were shared, laughs were had and a jolly atmosphere was upheld.

Recently, Gonville House shared a “Day at the Races” with Blackwater for the House Dinner. Bets were placed on several races with a sweet jackpot for the winners along with horse-themed games to round off the evening.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Page 23

HOUSE REPORTS

The Stag

NUGENT HOUSE REPORT

By Suki Sheraton Nugent have had a great start to the Lent Term, with everyone working hard and showing a positive attitude to school life and activities in house. At the very beginning of term, the Year 11s showed lots of determination and hard work in their preparation for their mock exam week, and everyone is very proud of their brilliant results.

The Nugent House Revue is coming up very soon after the half term break, and exciting preparations are starting to happen for all of the acts involved. Audiences should expect lots of singing and dancing and be prepared for an amazing performance! Similarly, the house a Capella competition is fast approaching, and the talented singers in Nugent are preparing something really special.

To help support girls who are feeling the stresses of exam pressure, a weekly yoga class has been set up in Nugent and is run

by Ashley, a professional yoga teacher who visits to teach the classes. These yoga sessions are relaxing and very beneficial to wellbeing in house. Also in house, the Nugent Year 11s are helping to renovate and redesign the study room to make it especially welcoming and comfortable.

There is lots of excitement in house for the upcoming inter-house sports competitions.

These include swimming, water polo and netball, and Nugent plan to be fierce competitors in all three.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Page 24

HOUSE REPORTS

The Stag

PENNELL HOUSE REPORT

By Fergus Lawson Johnston Before the Christmas holidays, Mr Holgate and our matron hosted a Christmas party in the house common room filled with a intense finals game of our house ping pong match where the whole house gathered.

Since the term began, the house has prepared a team for house a Capella with eight members planning to sing their hearts out on the night, The night continued with secret Santa and house prizes being given out, ending as an excellent send off into the Christmas holiday.

In house events, the Year 9s hosted a house FIFA game with lots of matches played in the common room for a consecutive three days and ending with Mungo Brown winning in the end.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

For the house academics, the Year 11s have just finished their first set of GCSE mocks and have been working hard during the time. The Year 13s are beginning their revision in preparation for their summer Alevels as a final push towards the end of their school years.

Page 25

HOUSE REPORTS

The Stag

POWELL HOUSE REPORT

By Esteban Boruel-Lopez It is no understatement to say Powell have had an extremely busy few weeks of College life since the end of the Michaelmas Term and the beginning of the Lent Term, with the boys taking part in all aspects academic, sport and performance related.

In terms of sporting achievement, Powell was very successful in house competitions, coming 1st in both inter-house swimming and inter-house squash, with notable performance coming from Charlie EvansShephard (12), Matt Clark (11) and Oliver Edmead (13). Furthermore in football, Matt Clark, Teifi Wolstenholme (11) and Sergio Vieira (12) have been performing very well in 1st team football this term.

In the theatrical word, Jossi Pears (12) and Esteban Boruel-Lopez (12) ended 2023 and the Michealmas Term with Sweeney Todd, completing five performances following over two months’ hard work to complete the final project. Also Powell entreated a full crowd of people with the annual Powell House review, a pleasure to all viewers.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Page 26

HOUSE REPORTS

The Stag

REEVES HOUSE REPORT

By Reuben Mace As the evenings slowly become lighter, life in Reeves has picked up where it left off after the Christmas break.

Though it has only been three weeks, there has been no shortage of activity and hard work. Not even the bitterly cold weather of recent weeks has deterred the Reeves community from striving to achieve highly, and with many events to look forward to in the coming weeks, the current attitude is one of determination.

The Year 11s have had their minds put to the test across two weeks of GCSE mocks, which took place immediately after the Christmas break. Arguably the most difficult time of year to do any form of exams, January brought an abrupt end to the festivities for the Year 11s. Nevertheless, they battled through, achieving highly overall. Their efforts were rewarded by Mr McVeigh, who took the boys out for a celebratory meal at Eastbourne’s favourite Italian, Pomodoro’s.

In other news, the annual house pool competition took place across the last weeks of the Michaelmas Term, which was won by Finlay Eadie who defeated Caedmon Myeni in a tense final to both take the crown and win a bespoke Reeves pool cue!

The Reeves boys have represented the school in various different sports, but most notably in rugby, with Seb Pearson and Eddie Anderson both playing for the 1st XV numerous times. As well as this, Will Fellows, Max Caines, Teddy Dean, Dan Caroe and Elliot Hibbert are all part of the U15 As, who continue their deep run in the national plate.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Page 27

HOUSE REPORTS

The Stag

SCHOOL HOUSE REPORT Although we haven’t been back at school for long, after a long and hopefully relaxing Christmas holiday, the first weeks have certainly been busy for many people.

The Year 11s especially have been working exceptionally hard as they’ve been doing their GCSE mocks, which is not an easy time at all, as I remember clearly from last year. However, I know that the School House girls have been putting a lot of effort in, so hopefully they achieve the results that they would like.

Meanwhile, as the Year 11s have been busy working away, on the first weekend back, School House Year 12 girls invited the Nugent Year 12 girls over to do some jewellery making and tie dyeing. There may have been alcohol present but I’m sure people would have come either way!

However, the most important occurrence in School House this term has, of course, been the addition of Miss Gordon’s new puppy called Pickle! We now have Pickle, Pepper, and Poppy! Everybody has been obsessing over her, and whilst we are having to be careful not to overwhelm her, she is settling into School House very well and has now discovered how to make her brother Pepper actually play with her instead of just growling at her!

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

By Tiggy Tutt

The last person that I would like to talk about is Maia Mountain, who is an OE and a previous Head of School House. In February of this year, Maia will be attempting to run a 155km ultra marathon in the jungle of Costa Rica. She is doing this to raise money and awareness for the mental health charity Mind as she dealt with depression in her teens, and I know that this topic is very close to many people’s hearts. Therefore, when School House run our annual Valentine’s Day rose giving, all of the money made will be donated to Maia’s fundraising in support of this incredible woman and charity.

Page 28

The Stag

HOUSE REPORTS

WARGRAVE HOUSE REPORT

By Sam Watson

After thoroughly enjoying the Christmas break, Wargrave has made a smashing start to the Lent Term with several successes both academically and on the sports field.

Like the rest of Year 11 across the school, Wargrave’s Year 11 boys have been actively engaged in their mock exams. With several impressive scores across the board and some room for improvement, the outlook for GCSE is most certainly positive. I wish Wargrave Year 11 the best of luck in their actual exams in the summer and I’m certain they’ll succeed and triumph.

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Several Wargrave Year 12 participated in a rugby match against Redding Blue Coat School with a final score of 48-14 to Eastbourne. Freddie Jones valiantly sustained a knee injury in efforts to help his team win the game and proved himself as a key player when Eastbourne lost their next match due to him being in recovery.

Wargrave Year 12 have also participated in several hockey matches, with Wargrave players from the first hockey team successfully drawing in the premier match against a much stronger opponent. We can only expect more victories for Wargrave students in the first team in the future.

Page 29

HOUSE REPORTS

The Stag

WATT HOUSE REPORT

By Emma Birch The end of the Michaelmas Term was one of high spirits with Watt winning the House Christmas Decorating Competition, as well as the annual House Christmas Party in which there were many fun games and activities like decorating ‘gingerbread’ cookies and eating doughnuts off a string, with the night ending with pizza and ‘The Holiday’.

Many of the Year 12 girls are participating in the House Prefect trials, making sure that all duties around the House are being completed and arranging things for the different year groups to do together. So far this term we have had a variety of events, such as a scavenger hunt for the Year 9s, some sweet treats and games for the Year 11s after their mock exams, as well as a Year 10 movie night, all organised by the Year 12s!

Watt House has recently had some redecorating with ‘The Snug’ being repainted, as well as new canvases being put up. The three new canvases are photographs that have been taken by girls in Watt and were chosen to be winners of the House Photography Competition that took place over the Michaelmas half term holiday. They are beautifully captured moments in time so congratulations to Ebony Aloof, Marla Walker Rhymes and Rosie Hoskinson.

Since arriving back from a much needed holiday, the house has been busy preparing for the House Revue which is on Saturday 3 February. This is looking to be a great night full of smiles, laughter and talent, including some solo, duet and group performances.

The Year 11 girls have been busy revising and sitting exams for their mock GCSEs throughout this half of term. Although it is obviously a stressful time, the girls have managed to stay positive and we wish them all the best with their results!

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

The Year 12s practising their dance for the Watt House Revue

Page 30

The Stag

INTERACTIVE

WINTER WARMER TOMATO SOUP

By Sophie Stevens

Ingredients: 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed 3x 400g tin chopped tomatoes 500ml chicken or vegetable stock 1 tbsp caster sugar 150ml full-fat milk 150ml double cream salt and freshly ground black pepper 3-4 tsp pesto, to serve

Method: 1.Set a large, deep pan over a medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil from the sun-dried tomatoes.

Add the garlic and stir-fry for a few seconds, or until it just starts to colour.

3. Remove from the heat and, using a hand blender, blend the soup in the pan. Stir in the milk and cream and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper before heating through on the hob.

4. Serve hot with 1/2 teaspoon pesto swirled on the top of each bowl of soup.

5. It could also be served with a cheese toastie, garlic bread, bread and butter or just eaten by itself.

Enjoy!

2. Add the sun-dried and tinned tomatoes, stock and sugar and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

Page 31

INTERACTIVE

The Stag

NATIONAL TRIVIA MONTH

By Sophie Stevens 1. In which year was the first iPhone released? a) 2007 b) 2010 c) 2006

2. What is the diameter of the earth? a) 10,000 miles b) 16,000 miles c) 8,000 miles

4. What is the Richter scale used for? a) measuring hurricanes b) measuring earthquakes c) weighing vegetables 5. What is the shortcut for the ‘Paste‘ function on a computer? a) Ctrl + C b) Ctrl + P c) Ctrl + V 6. Where is the largest desert located? a) Antarctica b) Israel c) Russia

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

7. When did the Great Depression Start? a) 1929 b) 1932 c) 1939

8. What is the capital of Australia? a) Sydney b) Canberra c) Melbourne

Answers : 1) A 2) C 3) A 4) B 5) C 6) A 7) A 8) B

3. Which author first became a billionaire by writing books? a) J.K.Rowling b) Dr. Seuss c) Stephen King

Page 32

INTERACTIVE

The Stag

HOROSCOPES Aquarius (Jan 20th - Feb 18th) This year will be filled with important lessons

Pisces

By Sophie Stevens

Aries

(Feb 19th- March20th) (March 21st-April 19th) A year of luck and This year is going to fortune awaits you! be full of focus!

Taurus (April 20th-May 20th) Be prepared for your social circle to open up this year!

Gemini

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

(May 21st - June 20th) Expect ups and downs this year!

(June 21st - July 22nd) Be prepared to step out of your comfort zone!

(July 23rd - Aug 22nd) This is your year to find what you felt you were lacking last year.

(Aug 23rd-Sep 22nd) You have a great year ahead of you. Make the most of it!

Libra

Scorpio

Sagittarius

Capricorn

(Oct 23rd - Nov 21st) This year is going to be a good one!

(Nov 22nd - Dec 21st)

(Dec 22nd-Jan 19th Communication is key.

Use this to your advantage!

(Sep 23rd - Oct 22nd) This is your year to become closer to the people you love most!

Lent Term 1 Edition | 2024

This year is your opportunity to connect more to your surroundings.

Page 34