The Barometer Week 10 Spring

BAROMETER THE

WETHERBY SENIOR SCHOOL WEEKLY MARCH 12th 2018 | WEEK 10

News from the MFL Department

HEADMASTER’S NEWSLETTER NEXT WEEK’S DIARY IMPORTANT NOTICES SPORTS NEWS

FROM THE HEADMASTER

Dear Parents, We are now only a short hop to the end of another busy term and as always we tend to ‘wind up’ rather than ‘wind down’. After a term’s hard work, the production of ‘Punch’ takes place on the Thursday and Friday at the end of next week, the inter-Trib rugby and football competitions are in the final two weeks of term (more information about this can be found on the Sports department’s SOCS website) and the Spring Concert takes place in the final week.

This week’s Field Day proved a range of challenges for the boys. The trip to the Natural History and Kew Gardens gave the boys an opportunity to take pictures for the annual photography competition in memory of former pupil Marcos Burnett although a rogue goose almost spoilt the day for some, all the Year 8s made it down the world’s highest and longest tunnel slide in Stratford, boys helped at the West London Mission’s food bank giving them first-hand experience of the challenges that affect many

of our neighbours, the Year 7 enjoyed a workshop with some of the cast of Matilda before watching the show and the Year 10 were challenged out in the wilds for their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh training. More information will follow in a future Barometer.

As someone who set himself the challenge a few years ago to read A Brief History of Time and made it to the end (please don’t ask me to explain it), like many I was saddened to hear of the passing of Steven Hawking but whilst his contribution to science and, just as importantly, the popularisation of science are immeasurable, his approach to life has much to teach the boys. For all his achievements in working towards explaining the universe, the importance of people, their interactions and humanity, were at the forefront of his mind. We, and our place in the universe were important to him, as he said: ‘It would not be much of a universe if it wasn’t home to the people you love’. His three pieces of advice which we would all do well to remember are:

One, remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Two, never give up work.

Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it. Three, if you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don’t throw it away.

Best wishes,

WEEKLY DIARY MONDAY

19.03.18

Artist in Residence Event 16:35-17:20 Year 10 Inter Trib Football 13:45 Games Years 7, 10 & 11 14:00-16:00

TUESDAY

20.03.18 Games Year 8 & 9 14:00-16:00 Year 9 Inter Trib Football 13:45 Duke of Edinburgh Award 15:30-16:30

WEDNESDAY

21.03.18

Games Years 7, 10 & 11 14:00-16:00 Year 11 Inter Trib Football 13:45 Year 7 Inter Trib Rugby 13:45

THURSDAY

22.03.18

FRIDAY

23.03.18

SATURDAY

24.03.17

SUNDAY

25.03.17

Games Year 8 & 9 Year 8 Inter Trib Rugby Upper School Play ‘Punch.’ 19:00-20:30

HM Assembly at Hinde Street Methodist Church Upper School Play ‘Punch.’ 19:00-20:30

15:00-15:30

IMPORTANT NOTICES

On Sunday 18th March there is an Upper School Play Rehearsal for all ‘Punch.’ actors only from 09:00 - 18:00.

MENU

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Soup: Courgette Soup

Soup: Tomato

Main: Prawn and Vegetable Curry

Main: Spaghetti Bolognese

Meat Free: Macaroni and cheese

Meat Free: Tomato and Basil Pasta Bake

To Go With: Herbed Potato Wedges Steamed Rice Raita Naan Bread Sautéed Spinach Dessert: Vanilla Sponge Cake

Soup: Roasted Pepper And Tomato

WEDNESDAY Soup: Chicken Noodle Main: Fish Fingers Meat Free: Rocket Pesto Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes

To Go With: Aubergine Parmesan Garlic Bread Baby Carrots

To Go With: Sweet Potato Wedges Steamed Garden Peas Traditional Mushy Peas Tartare Sauce

Dessert: Jelly Pots

THURSDAY

Main: Baked Chicken breast and Vegetables

To Go With: Egg fried rice Balsamic Roasted Vine Tomatoes Grilled Yellow Courgette Baby Spinach

Meat Free: Vegetable stir fry with noodles

Dessert: Chocolate brownie

Soup: Mushroom and Tarragon Main: Meat Feast Pitta Bread Pizza Meat Free: Roasted Vegetable and Feta Pitta Bread Pizza

Freshly Made Bread To Go With: Oven Roasted Chips Mixed Garden Vegetables Green Salad Dessert: Chocolate Mousse

Homemade Salads Vegetable Crudités With Hummus Sandwich & Wrap Selection Meat & Cheese Platters Fresh Fruit Yogurt Pots

EVERY DAY

FRIDAY

Dessert: Winter Berry Eton Mess

YEAR 7: GERMAN Boys in Year 7 recently competed in the class and school rounds of the Foreign Language Spelling Bee. The winner of the school competition was Jose M-M. He will go on to compete in the regional rounds after Easter. Viel GlĂźck Jose!

Year 7 boys have also been forging links with a school in Germany. Before Christmas we exchanged parcels and the boys were able to sample all sorts of exciting German treats, such as Lebkuchen, Stollen and Spekulatius. We recently sent our first letters and are eagerly awaiting replies!

YEAR 8 & 9: GERMAN Boys in Year 8 and 9 have recently been studying the topic of food. This included learning all about traditional German breakfast items and then comparing German breakfasts to English breakfasts. In order to be able to do this fairly, we obviously had to have our own German breakfast! The boys were very enthusiastic and we were extremely impressed with their use of German around the breakfast table!

As part of this topic we also looked at how to read and understand recipes, focusing on the use of instructions. In order to really test whether the boys could read a German recipe, Frau Luttert and I decided to challenge them to bake us a traditional German Marmorkuchen.

Needless to say, both year groups did us proud and we got to sample two very delicious cakes!

YEAR 10: GERMAN The German language assistant, Miss Luttert, has been selected to be a member of “UK-German Connection”, a bilateral government initiative for school and youth links. As part of her role as German language ambassador for UK-German Connection, she runs a club during Friday lunchtime for Year 10 boys and those in Year 9 whose language is proficient enough to take part. The club’s aim is to promote the German culture and give the boys some more time to practise and extend their German, but more importantly to put the boys in contact with students from Germany. The boys have been working hard, looking at the theme of “identity and integration in multicultural societies” and within this theme smaller, more approachable topics, such as stereotypes, pop culture, food and sports.

They have prepared posters on pop culture and videos on stereotypes which have been sent to our partner school in Germany, and we are looking forward to hosting a Skype call in the very near future.

EXPLORING IDENTITY: GERMAN CLUB Miss Luttert writes...

Apart from being a foreign language assistant for German, I’ve also applied through UK-German Connection to become a German language ambassador. UK-German Connection is dedicated to increasing contacts and understanding between young people in the UK and Germany. It is a bilateral initiative of the UK and German governments, British Council and Pädagogischer Austauschdienst. As part of the ambassador program, I’m running a bilateral club.

“I find it interesting to investigate German culture.”

The German Club at Wetherby Senior School

Getting to know each other

Every Friday during lunch time, boys from year 10 and 9 come together to tackle the difficult topic of “Identity and immigration in multicultural societies”. Having defined these words, as well as the overall goal of this club, we went on to dealing with slightly more approachable topics, such as pop culture, stereotypes, food and sports. This has been a great way for the boys to get to spend more time practising their German language skills.

In order for the boys to get to know the year 7 group from Eleonoren-Gymnasium Worms, both a Skype call and an exchange of letters were arranged. After the Wetherby boys introduced themselves by writing a joint letter, they received handwritten letters from the German group, to which our boys then responded again. Time was given to the boys in the club for their responses in order to benefit from working on the letters together and helping each other out! This might turn

“it’s fun interacting in German!”

“German Club is good German oral practise.”

into a true pen pal relationship.

Besides practising writing, I also wanted the boys to have a genuine conversation in German, so a Skype call with the group from Germany took place last week. From what I can tell, both groups seemed pleased to see each other and to make first steps in conversing in a foreign language.

Pop Culture and the German Club As part of the smaller topic ‘pop culture’, the boys created posters in German on English pop culture, such as James Bond, the series Stranger Things and the music group Blur, which were then sent to Germany. In return, we received posters on German pop culture from our partner school.

NEWS FROM THE SPANISH DEPARTMENT: LA GASTROMIA When studying a language, it is important not only to understand vocabulary and grammar but also the culture of the countries in which the language is spoken.

As part of the IGCSE course, year 11 have been learning about the food and drink that is consumed in Spain and the Hispanic

world. What better way to learn about some of this food than to try it first hand in your Spanish lessons? Here we can see Year 11 tucking in to some delicious Spanish and Latin American snacks including pintxos, manchego, chorizo, jamón serrano, Cecina, nachos and Mr McFaul’s favourite … Churros con chocolate!

YEAR 9 ¿TIENES HAMBRE? The Year 9s got creative after we spent the past few weeks learning about food and drink!

SE BUSCA ¡VIVO O MUERTO! Year 7 Spanish students have been designing “wanted” posters to show off their descriptive language. ¡Que divertido!

We use target setting to make sure that we are making progress every week.

YEAR 9 SPANISH BOARD GAME Year 9 Spanish students don’t play around when it comes to devising new revision techniques…

Or do they?

By Marcel B.

NEWS FROM MISS DE LA CRUZ Being a British council language assistant has allowed me to experience and get to know new places, people, cultures and educational strategies. I remember the feeling when I was informed about coming to London; I was scared and excited at the same time. Once I got here, I had to get familiar with a new place, city, friends, work, time zone, food, language accent, weather, transportation and many other changes and now I can’t believe I’m here, almost at the end of this significant journey as a completely different person.

Sadly I can say, I’m going to miss London: the busy streets, the multicultural population, the stunning buildings and museums, the popular buses and taxis, the remarkable seasons, the thermal clothes, the good friends I have made, the English tea and those long walks I love to take along the city.

Through this time I have had the opportunity of actively interacting with students from year 9 to year 11. As part of my role, I encourage them to improve their speaking skills in Spanish and get some practice for the GCSE exams. I also help them with grammar during the clinic intervention and sometimes I discuss my Mexican culture.

It is really gratifying to notice the students’ advance in the meantime and their interest in getting better in the language.

Their efforts to talk to me in Spanish outside the classroom is something I will miss the most.

Back in Mexico I teach English and it is completely different to teaching Spanish. Being here has been a real adventure.

Since Spanish is my mother tongue, I have acquired new teaching strategies by observing the students learning process as well as the

teachers I collaborate with, who have shared their experience and knowledge with me. I would like to thank them, as well as all the staff at Wetherby Senior School for their support and for making my time here such a pleasant experience,

Clockwise from top left: Year 11 clinic, GCSE practice, my birthday in the MFL department, Christmas lunch at Wetherby Senior School.

THE FRENCH DEPARTMENT: YEAR 9 & YEAR 10 The Year 10 French students wrote an extensive piece about where they live. Students were encouraged to use a range of vocabulary, grammar constructions and opinions about the topic to prepare them as much as possible to similar questions in their future IGCSE exam. Among other points, boys included

information about their nationality, city and neighbourhood, and contrasting aspects of living in the city and the countryside.

Following this activity, the boys used a peer-assessment sheet to evaluate and provide constructive feedback to their classmates. Well done on producing such amazing work!

The Year 9 French students learned about and discussed the differences between French and British education by looking at an iconic French film: Le petit Nicolas. Students were engaged in a range of activities including group discussions and quizzes. The boys really enjoyed this lesson!

THE FRENCH DEPARTMENT: VALENTINE’S DAY

d ou fin Did y o be the one t some ate in your l choco Valentine’s on Twix this year?

Day

THE FRENCH DEPARTMENT: LES BLASONS The year 8 students have really enjoyed making crests in French that represent their likes and dislikes.

The year 10 French students have been getting to grips with some really tough grammar this half term.

Do you know your subjects from your objects?

MATCH REPORT

Football

U14 A WSS vs Westminster School 0-4 Man of the Match: Evan H. U14 B WSS vs Westminster School 3-2 Man of the Match: Finley W.

SUPPORT MR SULLIVAN RUNNING FOR CALM! Would you like to see Mr Sullivan in fancy dress running the London Marathon for charity?

I’m taking part in the 2018 Virgin Money London Marathon for Campaign Against Living Miserably on Sunday 22nd April 2018.

Being a volunteer for CALM and helping young adults is a big part of my life. Listening and communicating is the most important factor, but I have also been working to raise awareness and money throughout this year by completing the London Marathon, Spartan Race and Mini Triathlon as well as many half marathons and a memorial rugby match.

If you would like to see me jogging around London finest streets in my lovely fancy dress, please donate and come and support me!

Please also consider sharing my page so I can raise as much as possible to help CALM provide a campaign and helpline aimed at preventing male suicide in the UK: https://www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/james-sullivan17 If you would like to find out more about CALM please visit www.thecalmzone.net Thank you!

Mr Sullivan Director of Sport

http://www.wetherbysenior.co.uk