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BAROMETER SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2019
HALF TERM 1
FROM THE EDITORS
CONTENTS: From the Head Boy - Sean M
Dear Readers,
Community Service in Kenya Manuel C
Welcome to a brand new and redesigned series of The Barometer. This year, the school’s much loved publication is “by the boys, for the boys (and parents)” which means that all work is done exclusively by pupils, with the guidance of Miss Bradley, Head of Graphic Design.
How to Take a Great Photo Anselm R An Introduction to Sixth Form Life - Alastair S Open Day - Henry B Short Stories - Ramzi K
You may have noticed that there is now a newsletter, separate to this magazine. This is sent out to parents on a weekly basis; it includes a letter from Mr. Bolderow and any relevant notices, as well as providing a sum-up of what to expect over the next week. The Barometer is now only published once every half term. As senior editors, it’s our job (and privilege) to oversee the operation of The Barometer, ensuring that deadlines are met and articles are written to a high standard. This will include comprehensive reports of what goes on at Wetherby Senior School, both in and out of the classroom, as well as general articles regarding what our journalists have been up to outside of school. We hope that you will find something that interests you in the pages that follow.
Mythos - the Greek myths retold Ramzi K Wicked Young Writer Awards 2019 - Adam A-M Roald Dahl Day 2019 - Year 7 Fantastic Mr Fox - Lachlan W Making a Movie - Andreas M and Max P Visiting Perry Green - Year 11 INKTOBER 2019 - Oscar T The Common Cold - Tyler M Inside the Mind of a Climate Change Sceptic - Isaac E Year 11 Geography Field Trip Henry B Ishaan’s Music Tour - Ishaan B The German Language - Ramzi K
Happy reading! Henry B, Year 11 Senior Editor Bennett D, Year 13 Communications Prefect and The Barometer Team.
A-Level Maths - Monty C
The Barometer Team: Adam A-M, Henry B, Bennett D, Edward H, Ramzi K, Andreas M, Sean M, Max P, Oscar T, Ben R, Miss Bradley Cover photograph - Anselm R
YAD - Henry B Friday Activities - Henry B Work Experience - Henry B Goodwood Revival - Henry B Film Reviews - Oscar T and Ben R
FROM THE HEAD BOY Dear Readers, I am Sean Masri and I have the privilege of being the first Wetherby Senior Head Boy. I have been at Wetherby Senior since it first opened in 2015. I am very excited for the start of this year, not just because of my new responsibilities, but, also because as someone who has been at Wetherby since the beginning, I’ve always enjoyed seeing the school expand. I am delighted to be working with the great selection of students in the Prefect Team, in order to help new boys adjust to life at Wetherby as well as help with our many school events.
From L-R: Bennett D, Senior Prefect: Media & Communications, Jack C, Senior Prefect: Charities and Community Service, Manuel C, Senior Prefect: Academic, Nicholas M, Trib Prefect: Walbrook, Sean M, Head
Boy, Matthew M, Trib Prefect: Serpentine/ Sport, Niclas S, Trib Prefect: Tyburn, Rahul T, Senior Prefect: Co-Curricular, Tom Z, Deputy Head Boy Not pictured: Louis J, Trib Prefect: Effra, Vadim M, Senior Prefect:
For the first time, we have Heads of Trib, who will help strengthen and support tribs, and potentially guide them to winning the Thames Trophy at the end of the year. I am looking forward to a very productive and positive year, not just because this is Wetherby’s first A-Level year, but also due to all the exciting new events the school will hold. I hope that everyone, especially new students, has had a very enjoyable and rewarding first half term, and I trust that it will continue for the foreseeable future. Sean M, Year 13 Head Boy
School Council and Leadership, Pip E, Trib Prefect: Fleet, JP C, Trib Prefect: Whitestone Sports Prefect, Nelson T, Senior Prefect: Wellbeing/Sport, Kiren T, Trib Prefect: Ravensbourne.
COMMUNITY SERVICE - KENYA Manuel C, Year 13 writes...
In Kenya I got the opportunity to give a wheelchair to a 12-yearTelling you about the trip to Kenya old boy called Boniface. I had is hard. Not even Shakespeare just given someone the ability to could put all the emotions and move from one place to another experiences I went through during by themselves for the first time in that trip into words, however I will their lives; I had just given them try to explain the biggest lesson I mobility. I watched the kid laugh learned during this trip. and smile. During these moments When I lived in Portugal, I was I felt entirely disconnected from told the saying “it feels better to all my problems, regrets and give things away than to receive worries. I felt pure happiness, them.” As a child I never truly more than I have ever felt before. understood this saying; the It was an amazing feeling to know way I saw it was that if you give the sort of gift I had just given something you lose something but him. Helping ourselves is easy but if you receive something you gain helping others can be easy too. something. During the Kenya trip It’s so easy to make a difference I finally understood this saying. in someone’s life, whether it is
by giving to charity or helping an upset friend, so try and who knows? Maybe it will make you feel better about yourself than when you receive a gift. Changing a life for the better can be something so simple yet so invaluable for that person, but knowing you have made a difference to that person’s life can also make you feel good. I will always remember the smile of Boniface and all the others who we were given the opportunity to help. This is what I learnt in Kenya: helping is better than receiving.
HOW TO TAKE A GREAT PHOTO Our cover photographer, Anselm R, Year 12 writes... Before taking photos, it is first necessary to learn how to use the manual mode properly. If you are using a mobile phone, this is generally not necessary. Nowadays, most point-and-shoots and bridge cameras have at least some ability to adjust photo settings. Remember, it is more important to learn how to work with any camera, than to have the most expensive camera gear. To adjust the settings, you should go to the manual mode of your camera. Generally, on a DSLR, there is a knob you can turn to access different modes. There are three main settings that must be adjusted before shooting. These are: the shutter speed, aperture (or F-stop) and the ISO (how sensitive the camera sensor is to light). It can help to learn the exposure triangle. Once you have mastered settings, it is time to choose what you want to shoot. The fun with photography is that you can take photos of whatever you want! I generally prefer to take photos of moving objects, as I find that more interesting. In most cases, it is essential to shoot in good lighting, unless you want to create a sombre/moody photo by shooting when it is heavily cloudy. I recommend not to shoot against the sun, as this can create softness, low contrast, and unappealing lens flare. Depending on the situation, a tripod may be useful as well. Combined with a long exposure and tripod, the results can be breathtaking. Here is a photo I took of a long exposure of car traffic on a road in darkness.
If you are shooting on a DSLR, choosing a good lens is very important. Even though I can’t comment, I recommend investing in good camera equipment such as lenses or tripods. Before purchasing a lens, you need to think about what you will mainly shoot with it, whether that is street or wildlife photography. You should choose the focal length range you would want, as well as the aperture levels, and once you have decided you should research online or go into a camera store to find the perfect lens for you. I took the photographs on this page whilst on holiday in Finland.
AN INTRODUCTION TO SIXTH FORM LIFE Alastair S, Year 12 writes... After a busy summer and nerveracking lead up to my GCSE results, I was ready for a change from the broad selection of subjects at GCSE to my more specialised fields of interest. After enjoying the syllabuses of geography and English at GCSE as well as what they had to offer, I decided to continue them through to A-Level. To complement my subjects, I decided to take up economics, as I have a profound interest in the social, political and geographical elements of the subject. From my initial impressions of my subject choices, I really enjoy how they relate to each other and the surprising continuity between them. Most Sixth Form pupils will participate in an EPQ (Extended Project Qualification). I especially like the open-ended nature of this, as it allows me to explore a topic of interest over a long period of time, to inevitably produce a ‘dissertation style’ essay. For my own project, I wanted to combine aspects of my individual subjects and how they shape the world around us; the route I decided to take is around the housing crisis that is present in London. This additional aspect to my Sixth Form curriculum has helped me to increasingly engage with my subjects, while also developing a progressive interest in my subject fields. I believe this will help a great deal when I progress onto higher education, as it will teach me the disciplines of undertaking an individually led project. One of the many aspects of Sixth Form life I enjoy, is the greater
freedom and independence I now have. The introduction of private study sessions dispersed through the week enables me to keep on top of the heavy workload, while giving myself an opportunity to revise or recap on topics that I may have found more challenging. Despite only studying three subjects (plus an EPQ), down from ten at GCSE, I have noticed a substantial increase in workload. During lunch I have the choice to eat within the new Sixth Form dining room or eat out in the multitude of eateries in the surrounding area. I thoroughly enjoy this feature of Sixth Form life!
Continuing with my choice of YAD (youth athletic development) from last year, I now rotate with spinning classes at the gym on a weekly basis. I really enjoy this as an alternative to sports such as rugby and football, as it allows me to develop my fitness level, while also learning the proper techniques from experts, whether it be at the school gym or AMP athletic. This year I have also taken up many more co-curricular activities such as Silver DofE (Duke of Edinburgh) and Young Enterprise. The diverse nature of clubs available this year will ensure that there will be one to cater for a wide set of interests.
Open DAy Henry B, Year 11 writes... A couple of weeks ago, we welcomed over 148 families* of prospective boys and parents to the school, to meet the staff and get a better idea of what life at Wetherby is like. This year is particularly exciting as it is the first one where we are a full school, with cohorts from Year 7 to Year 13. As well as that, the new section of the Hannah House building was opened for the benefit of the English department, and much refurbishment of the existing premises meant that we now have numerous new facilities, including an additional art room, several new science laboratories and a new ICT suite in Hannah House basement. It was lovely to see so many boys volunteering as tour guides or as model students in various departments, in order to be Wetherby ambassadors and showcase the school’s excellence. The school looked marvellous and the effort that had been put in by all staff the night before to prepare classrooms and pupil work was evident throughout; their dedication to make the school look fabulous is, no doubt, a reflection of their passion for teaching and inspiring pupils with their love of the subject they teach and was perhaps fitting as it was also World Teachers’ Day. I was pleased to see so much enthusiasm from boys and teachers alike.
SHORT STORIES Ramzi K, Year 9 writes... You may have noticed something different about the London Underground stations. There are machines scattered around stations that print out short stories in receipt form for you to read for free. Also, you can choose how long you want them to be, depending on how much time your journey will take. This is a great way to get people reading on the train, rather than using their phones throughout the journey. These stories have been written by famous authors and have been educating and entertaining people around London. Year 9 have been working on some short stories that will be displayed across the school. Multiple copies of all of Year 9’s short stories will be pinned to the walls of Wetherby so students can tear a couple off on their breaks and enter a new world of mystery, romance, suspense and comedy. Here is my short story!
The Last Concert After a short delay, the old and wrinkled man sat on his organ chair. The crowd of one hundred thousand people cheered and roared like a wild beast before pouncing on its prey in excitement. There were even more people watching it on the television. The man’s heart was racing with sheer adrenaline and excitement, while his lungs were working to get his shrivelled hands filled with energy and power. The old man’s mind was revising the piece repeatedly. He had the whole world’s undivided attention with just one final breath he drew before his hands tangoed across the three organ keyboards and his feet tap-danced on the range of pedals. Everyone’s ears were enchanted with a spell and their eyes were fixed on his hands. Mesmerised. The mellifluous tune mixed in with the soothing chords of an aubade created a polyphonic melody with an alluring quality like the sirens’ rock of the modern day. There was life and clarity in each note that was played, and each bar of music told a different story. Nobody wanted it to end. It sounded like two organs playing at the same time the most magnificent duet the world has ever seen. After two hours, the organist was approaching the end of the piece. It was the last bar of the piece he held everyone in suspense at a pause. He was one chord away. His whole life had led up to this moment. This piece. This finale. He never had anyone to love, the organ was his girlfriend. His teacher. His God. At last, he played the cadence. The world stopped. And suddenly, his heart started racing too quickly. His lungs stopped giving his hands energy. His mind wasn’t revising the piece. Louis Vierne leaned on the organ, almost hugging it, and sat there lifelessly. Louis had nothing else to live for.
MYTHOS: THE GREEK MYTHS RETOLD Ramzi K, Year 9 writes... Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold by Stephen Fry This gripping storytelling show is based on a book that Stephen Fry, himself, wrote. Fry has been travelling all around the UK sharing the Greek myths with everyone. The set is simple: a velvet armchair next to a table with a glass of water on it and three massive projector screens at the back. But with his magnificent magniloquence, he’s able to make it come alive and flourish as he enchants the audience with his supernatural ways of storytelling and a humorous twist. He just makes you feel like you are
watching Medusa shrivel to stone or listening to Apollo’s dulcet aubade. Of course, the projectors help set the scene, but Fry is unbelievably articulate and utterly hilarious. Also, as a bonus, you can e-mail “The Oracle” during the interval and he will answer whatever question you e-mailed him; normally the answers leave you either laughing so hard that you’re gasping for breath or pondering over the intriguing matter. This show is a trilogy, and the three parts are: gods, heroes and men. If you go every day, you can see all of them. In my personal opinion, I never wanted it to end. Everything was perfect, we even played a game of “Mythical Pursuit”! Definitely a must-see.
WICKED YOUNG WRITER AWARDS 2019 Adam A-M’s short story, ‘The Package’ was selected from over 5000 entries as a finalist in the Wicked Young Writer Awards 2019. You can read it below! The Package My pace quickened to match the sprint of my thudding heart as cold sweat sluggishly trickled down my panting face. It seemed like an eternity had elapsed since I had grudgingly accepted the lucrative proposal for this late-night delivery. I clearly remembered the crisp, callous voice, minaciously whispering its command through the speaker of my phone as a chill darted down my spine. Immediately I had accepted the offer: it was far too brilliant to resist. After all, I was being given a king’s ransom to act as a courier, delivering a seemingly innocent parcel to a nearby location. Ignoring my inhibitions and concerns, I had made my way to the collection point. The frigid air was thick with fog and the slight breeze pierced through my coat like steely, grey needles. The charcoal sky seemed to block out all light and goodness as wraithlike clouds ominously drifted through the sky. These translucent, silvery spectres hovered above me like the ghosts of intangible dreams. As soon as I had secured the package, I began to feel a sense of unease. The golden light of the regiments of lamps that lined the street reflected off the globular, grey bulk of dreamy fog, creating an ethereal glowing halo of dimming, honeycomb
light. This shimmering mass appeared to stretch out to infinity, encompassing the entire city and obscuring all vision. Suddenly, while clutching the parcel, I faltered, and a feeling of dread and vulnerability descended upon me. Silently I chastised myself for my weakness and continued my task; I could not afford to waste this opportunity. My stroll became a stride which hastened further into an awkwardly fashioned jog. My pulse jolted, quickening with every step until my heart was pounding like a caged animal, desperate to be set free. I flashed past shops and alleyways, sticking to the path set by the scintillating streetlights, following the queue of incandescent orbs blindly. Panic blurred my vision and the thundering of my footsteps and hammering of my heart deafened me. I hurtled down the street faster than a bolt of lightning, meandering as if to dodge bullets or evade capture. Gelid sweat soaked through my shirt much like hyperborean water from a melting glacier. I began to feel two laser-like eyes boring into the back of my head like fiery power drills, glaring so viciously that I believed that they could kill me. Their furious intensity seemed to wither my courage and motivation like strong beams of sunlight would a defenceless flower. The eyes seemed to penetrate my mind, my thoughts and my ideas all at once, reading and suppressing them at their will. Even as I scrambled hysterically, they maintained their precise and powerful gaze, steadily
piercing through my very being. My eyes frantically scanned the buildings around me searching desperately for an escape route or any sign of human life. As I wildly scurried along the deserted pavement like a rabbit pursued by a fierce hunter, I chanced a brief glance behind me. I froze, petrified by the looming shadow skulking behind me in the depths of the fog. I clenched the parcel close to my fluttering butterfly of a heart and soundlessly screamed. Paralysed, my eyes feverishly flitted to and fro as the shadow inched nearer. As the dark figure prowled closer, I began to flounder uncontrollably, careering towards my destination. Adrenaline coursed through my blood making me as swift as a stream and as agile as a matador. With every fleeting second I got closer to my goal and pride and valour soared within my chest like a phoenix. As I swept round the final corner, elation overcame me and a tear of relief escaped my eye. My ambition had been realised and my reward would be waiting for me; or so I thought. Before me waited a glistening black car, beside which stood a broad mountain of a man dressed in a black suit. In his hand he controlled a gun. Pointing it at me, he commanded that I enter the car, his harsh, gravelly voice knowing no disobedience. At once it was apparent that this was a man used to giving orders. Apprehensively I obeyed him, too unnerved by my previous experience to challenge his authority.
ROALD DAHL DAY 2019 Ramzi K, Year 9 writes... Year 7 have been writing poems in honour of Roald Dahl. Every boy has thoroughly enjoyed making these lively and exciting stories and poems and as an homage to him here are some for you to enjoy:
Mr Marabou and The Chocolate Mayhem by Leo S, Year 7 One Autumn morning, chocoholic Mr Marabou, the mad bonkers Chemistry teacher, had reached his eleventh year of teaching at White House school. I should mention here that Mr Marabou is a unique teacher: he is a horse; a suit-wearing, fast-thinking English-speaking, genius horse with a deep love of chocolates, chemistry and chemicals. Today’s lesson was about the periodic table and important lab rules and...a chocolate chat, of course! During the lesson, Mr Marabou began dreaming of creating a brand new, scrumptious chocolate: a Marabou bar! Without realising, he began to dribble and drool in front of the Year 7 students. He then seemed to suddenly snap out of his chocolate dream and exclaimed, “It’s break time!” Everyone was dismissed and cleared out of the science lab running to next lessons. Mr Marabou decided to conduct a chocolate practical to develop his fabulous Mr Marabou bar. How would make this new and amazing treat? His clever superbrain began whizzing and fizzing through all the possible chocolate combinations. His horse mane flicking from side to side with adrenaline and excitement. “A-HA! That’s it! Magic! I have the answer! A superior ultimate bar of chocolate made and mixed up by all of my top 100 favourite treats!” He opened his briefcase which kept the secret stash of his favourite sweet, creamy and nutty chocolates. As quick as a flash, he grabbed his equipment, lit his bunsen burner and clunked his hoovers together, rubbing them with joy. “Melt a gram of this, stir a bit of that, mix a few of those, pour this, sprinkle those, dip that and frost the lot!” An excited and happy snort came from his hairy nostrils. “It is done!” A marvellous Marabou bar lay on the counter in front of his bulging, hungry eyes. He picked up the gorgeous bar with his milk-chocolate hooves and gobbled it up in one bite leaving only a speck, his eyes closed as if he were in heaven his horsey ears twitching in bliss. All of a sudden, the school bell rang which woke him up from his chocolate coma. Mr Marabou raced around the lab tidying the evidence away and busying himself to pack up so that he could record the results of his epic experiment at home. Removing his custom lab coat, revealing his brown spotted necktie, and the pink striped suit he spun around to grab his chocolate stuffed briefcase and there, sitting on the table the speck of Marabou Bar lay was another, full Marabou Bar… just like the original! “How can this be? Regeneration A magical mystery? A miracle? A never-ending chocolate bar?!” This autumn morning turned out to be the best morning for a chocoholic horse like Mr Marabou!
Doomsday by Billy C, Year 7 We had done it. We pulled it off! The greatest prank in the school’s history and we got away with it. We got away with it... for about eight seconds. Our original plan was to sneak past the school security and manage to get into the camera room. We managed to mould a fake key that only had ONE use before it broke. As we opened the door we were greeted by an empty security room! Thatcher quickly walked up to the school intercom, the rest of us gazing up at the CCTV cameras that covered every nook and cranny of the entire campus. Thatch pushed down the red button, meaning his voice could go live to the whole school when he spoke. “I am your father” he said in a booming Darth Vadar voice. But, we didn’t realise that the whole school would hear it... not just the students. Before we knew it we were surrounded by teachers and a red-faced, sweaty security guard. We all shuffled our feet and looked down at the ground as we waited for the yelling to ensue. After the drill-sergeantlike lecture was over we were grabbed by the arms and pushed through a door. There we were, in the Headmaster’s office. The office had a nice homely feel to it, the floor tiles were a dark oak wood and a carpet covered it. Two neatly placed chairs overlooked a rather petite table with a porcelain tea set. But our eyes were quickly diverted to a rather messy desk where the Headmaster sat. He was a rather slim man but he was tall at about six-foot two. He looked down on us as we stood at the hilt of his desk, he didn’t look too happy. “You boys embarrassed the whole school while visitors were around, do you have anything to say for yourselves?” For a slim man, the Headmaster had a booming voice and the rest of the staff exited the office. “Uuuum...no...sir” Thatcher mumbled. We were all shaking. Everyone who had come out of his office looked frightened. This was our first run-in with him so maybe he’ll have mercy? No. He had no mercy. We were all suspended for a week and on top of that, we had to apologise to the visitors present at the school, which was quite embarrassing. The teachers hated us now. We would always be picked out by them in lessons and let’s just say that after that prank the school’s reputation for being a highly academic place for learning was ruined. But it was definitely worth it.
The Prank by Elijah N, Year 7 One plain and ordinary Monday school morning - Max, Jonathan, Matty and I had had enough of the same old exhausting ritual of dragging ourselves into another day of Mr Plympton’s history class. Matty threw a squinting glance at our group of friends; you know when he is up to no good. His glance suggested he was up to no good at all. Matty was in detention on a weekly basis for doing sneaky and sly pranks; he was always in trouble, twenty-four-seven. Mr Plympton was our stuffy, robotic and uninteresting history teacher. We entered the classroom for our lesson, but surprisingly Mr Plympton was not there. There was something on his desk. Lying on the table was a mass of hair that looked like a wig… “Hmmm.. I wonder what this could be?” said Matty. “Hold on. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” I said. Matty tried on this giant, hideous fur ball on his tiny head. We heard trembling footsteps shaking the ground. He was caught red-handed by Mr Plympton. That was when we (well, mainly him) wanted sweet revenge on our rotten history teacher. We were going to steal his toupee. Everyone, now I mean everyone, in school, thought that Mr Plympton had lots of hair but oh no, oh no my friend he didn’t. So we did it. We wanted to show the school that were weren’t just a group of boring old nerds. After an exhausting and tedious day of school work, we waiting for two hours so that every single teacher could leave the building. Those hours felt like years. I don’t know how we possibly survived it, but we did. Once the time came after the teachers had finished writing gibberish on pupils’ work, we finally got to his office. Mr Plympton’s office, specifically. Getting to his office was just like in the movies. We snuck underneath the doors, ran quietly through the building, zig-zagged through numerous booby-traps, all as silent as a whisper. Not one sound, just silence. Then we got to his office. The tension in the air was surreal. The flaming sweat trickling down out sticky slimy faces oozed with disgust. Thoughts were racing past our minds eccentrically and we couldn’t keep track of them. Yet we still did it. Max carried the giant leather bag, Jonathan held the beaming flashlight, and Matty was the spy keeping track of everything happening around us. You know, weren’t really a popular group of people but doing this made us feel bigger than any other person in the school. We felt popular for the first time in forever. Whilst thinking of our massive achievement, we silently tip-toed outside of the office and we just had one last check to see if we had forgotten anything, you know, just in case. I high-fived all my mates with a victory. It was a success. Luckily, we didn’t forget anything. But it turns out he wasn’t the only teacher with a toupee. We actually stole the toupee belonging to our headmaster, Mr Horriblis….
Dylan C, Year 7 Disgusting, devious and dinky The Twits are so very stinky Dahl’s dirty duo are old and mean The Twits hate baths and are never clean! The Twits have many clothes which are all torn They have scruffy hair and yellow teeth like corn The annoying pair have bits in their long beards Which is also thought to be super weird. Mr and Mrs Twit are around the same size Same height, crooked nose and big eyes The Twits are dangerous and crazy! The Twits are fat and lazy!
Ben and the Wonderful Plane by Alexandre N, Year 7 I am Ben and this is what I do in my spare time! In my back yard is a hangar and in that hangar is a desk and beside my desk is a... plane. Yes, that is right, a plane! Every evening when the sky turns a magical, purplish orange I linger about in the hangar and reconstruct the antique plane. Every so often you can hear a BANG or a BONG and then deafening silence. Some days I lose hope, not today! I finally manage to fix the engine after long hours of assiduous work. As soon as I can I take off, my heart beats like a drum. We start to cross the Atlantic! A cumulonimbus starts to sprout like a venomous mushroom and I know that I must go full throttle but it would destroy the rusty engine. Desperately, looking around, I reach across the plane and nimbly press a large, velvet coloured button. Straining to stay in my seat, the plane lurches forward and I gaze at the wonderful view of New York. Central Park is a mosaic of colours from a birds’ eye view as all the flowers join together as if it were a puzzle. By now, I was starting to ask myself the real question...Where do I land?! Scrutinizing the area, I found a large field near the Empire State Building. Finally landing I told myself ecstatically “this is it, I’ve made it!”
By Joshua V, Year 7 Arthur was a kind boy with many friends, but his best friends were Jack, Peter and Phil. They all went to a school called ‘Zam School’. They never liked this school, they never got any questions right. Despite this, they were always cheerful as they constantly made pranks. There was the time where Peter poured a whole bottle of chilli sauce into the school lunches; the time where Jack turned on the fire alarm without an actual fire. Lastly, when Phil wrote ‘school sucks’ on the tables. They all got away with it. Except for Arthur who pulled the most wicked prank of all…
FANTASTIC MR. FOX Lachlan Walker, Year 12 writes... In so many ways, Wes Anderson’s (2009) Fantastic Mr. Fox is the stereotypical Hollywood bookto-film adaptation. It adds scenes, plots and characters that the author of the book never intended. It packs its voice cast with a countless list of celebrities led by George Clooney and Meryl Streep as Mr and Mrs Fox, accompanied by other lead-worthy actors such as Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe and Owen Wilson. It even received a budget of $40 million (although the book’s page count just made it past ninety-five). Its final act even received multiple grand action set pieces. However, from these ninety-five pages Wes Anderson pulled a film script so sincere and thoughtful that you realise that just because a story is suitable for children it does not mean that it is for children. Anderson finds Dahl’s characters in an identity crisis between being a community of civilised people or wild animals.
At the heart of this dilemma is Mr. Fox who declares one day to his wife during breakfast: “I don’t want to live in a hole anymore”. Anderson characterises Mr. Fox as a deeply flawed, dishonest, self-destructive, egotistical and insecure character. Yet, it is his relatability of wanting to live up to his idealised fantastical expectation of himself that keeps him a constantly endearing part of the narrative. In a key scene of the film, Mrs. Fox confronts Mr. Fox on his behaviour and tells him how the story of a fox hunted by farmers ends so that we (the audience) see that the arc of Mr. Fox is about trying to shun the nature of being a fox, as we see him confronted by the reality of his existence and the fact that his two choices are to live in the role that his community has given him - living in a hole writing columns for the local newspaper - or accept his nature as a fox and give in to the idea of being little more than a “wild animal”.
The film, for all of its serious moments however, includes all of the fantastical elements of the children’s story and takes as many of the witticisms from Dahl’s writings as possible. Anderson’s surreal dialogue and direction of the cast’s readings also imbue the film with a simplistic quality, fitting of his flat blocking of a scene that often fills the screen and allowing the audience to read the images like a storybook. In 2009, Anderson created what I contend to be one of the finest book-to-film adaptions there has been. The film captures all of the feelings and plot of the book, whilst adding new, appropriate themes and re-contextualising characters in ways that feel in place with the source text, yet are wholly original. I highly encourage anyone to find and watch this overlooked beautiful stop motion film as I genuinely believe it to be, at the very least, the best animated film of the past two decades.
MAKING A MOVIE: ONE WAY OUT Andreas M, Year 9 writes...
One Way Out is a short film, written and directed by Max P, starring Andreas M and Dan R. At the time this article was written, the film had been submitted to the ISA Film and Digital Art competition. Today for this article, Max P, Year 9, is here to talk about the process of making a short movie
with, sometimes completely changed. In this instance, I went from one person to more than two people, adding monsters and the post-apocalyptic element. I guess what I’m trying to say is that the greatest movies might often be the simplest ideas. How old were you when you made your first film?
That’s a great question. I was nine when I made my first film. It was What’s the hardest thing about a Star Wars fan film, based on a making a film, in your opinion? comic that followed Darth Vader as he lays the groundwork of the The hardest part of making a film Empire Strikes Back. I edited it is taking the simplest core idea, myself and still have no idea how I such as in my most recent film, the managed that. But, it nevertheless, core idea was two people trapped was a joy to make. in a room, and nurturing it into a full-blown film. The original idea Who are your main influences in often gets tweaked and played directing?
I take a lot of inspiration from Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, not only are they great directors, but they’re also innovative problem solvers. The reason I follow these directors is that they reinvented aspects of film making. Suspense in film would not be the same without Jaws; Star Wars had cutting-edge effects with lightsabers, laser bolts and miniatures; Peter Jackson used motion capture from the medical industry to create Gollum in The Lord of the Rings. Motion capture is now used in many films today. The point is without these directors, the film industry wouldn’t be where it is today.
HENRY MOORE AT PERRY GREEN
Luca H, Year 11 writes... On Saturday 7th September, Year 11 went to the Henry Moore Foundation to help with our third GCSE topic ‘Human Form’. The trip allowed us to explore different elements of texture and design to add to our ideas for upcoming sculptures or prints. We saw sculptures created using a range of media: from bronze to wood, with multitudes of hatching to add texture, helping to enhance the form. This is then compared to other designs of stone figures hollowed out to add a further use of perspective and tonal levels through shadow. We also saw other designs not necessarily linked to our topic of ‘Human Forms’ but a previous topic of Natural Forms, where marble was used to create multiple stacking levels using positive and negative space to create an effect on the darker areas of the piece. This would have also helped us to think of different textures such as a smooth marble or fluid bronze to a more rough and discontinuous stone piece which could help us to come up with more ideas in further designs and sculptures.
Syed Haider writes.. On 7th September, Year 11 art students embarked on a trip to the Henry Moore Foundation. The morning began with an outdoor tour around the estate, viewing many different pieces created by Moore, over the course of his career. During the in-depth explanation of the styles and techniques, we were able to photograph and discuss the details of the pieces. Another area we had the chance to see, was his printing studio, where his large printing press helped him fund his expenses before his fame. We also had the opportunity to visit Moore’s untouched living space and view the original state of the house.
Stefano A, Year 11 writes‌ The Year 11 art and design trip to the Henry Moore Foundation helped us take inspiration from an artist who experimented with a range of media during his distinguished career. He began by working with stone and concrete as they were cheaper materials compared to marble. Moore then moved on to bronze, marble and wood. I was impressed by the way he used both texture and form in his work; furthermore, he took inspiration from nature as well as the human form and often created quite abstract sculptures by using both organic and geometric forms. Additionally, in the last years of his career, he commissioned a team to create tapestries out of his own paintings; this really showed me how experimental Moore was even at the end of his career.
INKTOBER BEGINS! Oscar T writes... As of October 1st, the greatest art event of the year has started: INKTOBER! INKTOBER is an event that runs throughout all of October where every day there is a new prompt for a drawing you do. You can draw whatever you want as long as it follows the prompt. There are a few rules of INKTOBER: every drawing has to be in ink (markers, pens etc.) and you should post it using the hashtag #INKTOBER. Why don’t you join in and do as many days as you can in the month of October. Here are some examples by yours truly:
THE COMMON COLD Tyler M, Year 12 writes... Perhaps the most common illness is widely known as the common cold. It is a disease which has been around for a very long time, and one you may very well pick up in the coming weeks or months, if you haven’t already. The common cold is caused by one of over 200 different types of viruses, one being influenza, commonly known as the flu. This is why we can get a cold every year, despite our immune systems remembering how to make the correct white blood cells after each infection. It is also why you may be confused when you remember you had a flu jab (an influenza vaccination) just weeks ago and now are coughing every 20 seconds. The most prevalent virus, which causes the most cases worldwide of upper respiratory tract infections, is Human Rhinovirus (HRV). HRV was discovered in the 1950s and still, over 60 years later, there is no cure for it. Efforts to vaccinate against it have also failed due to the existence of over 100 different serotypes and high level sequence variability in the antigenic sites. HRV has four proteins which make up its capsid, with RNA inside. The virus inserts its RNA into an epithelial cell in your throat (trachea). The RNA then travels to the ribosome where it makes use of the translation process. It copies itself and bursts the membrane of the epithelial cell moving on to infect another cell. Of course, your immune system will fight back. Coughing up mucus is part of the immune response, whereby the
the virus is trapped within the mucus and then expelled along with the mucus. Another defence mechanism is inflammation which causes a sore throat, this is of course completely intentional. Inflammation allows for the build up of white blood cells at the infected area, through prolonged vasodilation, caused by histamine. This removes dead tissue and kills the pathogens at the site. The process makes you feel pain or irritation, which most of us want to get rid of, so we take a Nurofen. Nurofen is an anti-inflammatory drug and its main ingredient is ibuprofen. Ibuprofen works by inhibiting the release of postraglandins, which cause inflammation. Ibuprofen is undoubtably a safe drug, but what does safe really mean? People view ibuprofen and other over-the-counter medication as something which you can take no matter what. That is a dangerous misconception, as you can easily overdose on ibuprofen which may cause stomach bleeding, difficulty breathing and sudden changes in heart rate. You could also experience side effects which affect 1 in 100 people, such as headaches, nausea and vomiting. Many people also don’t realise that ibuprofen does not help to kill the virus, but rather just masks that it is there. It may, in some cases lengthen the course of the infection. Despite this we are living in an era when flu only rarely kills older people, when it develops into pneumonia. We can feel lucky that we aren’t living in 1918, when one of the deadliest epidemics called the Spanish flu killed anywhere between 50 and 100 million (3-5% of the world’s population). The name
a is little misleading, because it didn’t start in Spain and Spain wasn’t the worst affected place. Nevertheless, Spain was the only country in Europe at the time which was reporting on the flu and so everyone assumed it was worse there. This strain of influenza was so deadly it killed more people than World War 1. Many of those people were healthy adults. Some suggest that aspirin poisoning contributed heavily to the high death toll. However, there is not enough evidence to support this theory, considering countries like India had the same death toll, without access to aspirin. The reason why the flu abruptly disappeared in late 1918 is still unknown. This leaves us pondering whether it will ever come back, the answer to which is most likely no. However, new diseases are constantly emerging and the next pandemic is on the horizon, just as we saw with Ebola and the Zika virus just a few years ago. This is why we need more biologists, doctors, immunologists etc. So if you are interested in immunology, pharmacology or even virology, biology at A-Level is a great option for you. But as a bare minimum, practice good hygiene and realise that drugs are not always necessary and can potentially be very harmful.
INSIDE THE MIND OF A CLIMATE CHANGE SCEPTIC Isaac E, Year 9 writes... Climate change, one of the many strings pulling the planet into its destruction. The majority of people believe it's what people say it is, but then there are the people who don’t fall into the majority: the non-believers. I interviewed someone, who wants to remain anonymous, about why they do not believe in it and what they think is happening.
cause because it's what brings life to earth. How do you explain all the statistics?
recycle everything. Do you believe in plastic pollution?
Yes, I do. I mean it is pretty obvious.
I believe in what the scientists believe, but not all scientists believe in it.
The scientists create statistics that prove their case and an example of this is that they take temperatures at somewhere like Heathrow where it would obviously be hotter than somewhere like a lake and now I'm going to give you a statistic they would never use; how many central heating engineers have re-trained as air conditioning engineers? Probably none and I can't think of a single household that has replaced there central heating system with air con.
Was there ever a time you did believe in climate change?
If global warming does exist, do you believe it would destroy us?
I believed in climate change when it was a threat to humanity in 1975 and it was announced a new ice age was to come and the way to save ourselves was to cover the ice caps in soot.
No because I believe humans are very adaptable and resourceful. For example, if the sea were to rise then we could adapt to it such as when it rose in the early 1700s; we reclaimed land from the sea by creating dykes and this released investment and new technology and created a very prosperous and self-confident society. So even if climate change threatens us, our response will make us more resourceful, intelligent and ambitious.
Do you have anything else you would like to say?
What do you think about the pessimism of younger generations?
I would like to say after interviewing this person, I did think they had some decent points and that many of them did make sense, which was actually quite surprising, personally, because I was expecting some random conspiracy stuff, but once I talked to them, I understood where they were coming from.
Why don't you believe in global warming?
When did you change your mind?
The following year, in 1976 and 1977, the summers were very hot so they decided to tell us that the planet was warming, also we were told by the United Nations in 1989, that we were facing an imminent climate crisis and we only had until the year 2000; it's been almost 20 years since they said the world would be destroyed and I'm still alive. What do you say about the rising levels of CO2?
Even if global warming was a thing, then CO2 wouldn't be the
50 years ago, we went to the moon and we felt we could conquer nature and use nature to our advantage, but now we feel the opposite. We now fear nature and so we have to make sacrifices to nature. For example, we have to
What would you say to someone who didn't believe in plastic pollution?
Look at any photo of a turtle wrapped up in a 5p Tesco bag. From what you have said, most people would think you have a large carbon footprint. Do you?
No, I've never owned a car; I haven't flown for 26 years; I buy everything second hand and I have 11 solar panels on my roof.
One more killer fact I have which I think disproves the whole idea of man-made global warming is that the greatest example of global warming in the history of the planet is the end of the last ice age. So, a sudden vast surge in global temperatures managed to melt all that ice but without any cars, planes, factories or fossil fuels being burned.
Year 11 Geography Field Trip The AQA geography GCSE course includes two elements of fieldwork: physical and human. Two years ago, the current Year 11 cohort went to Brighton to measure sand height at different groynes, as part of their investigation of the effectiveness of hard engineering strategies in the protection of the coastline. This year, all GCSE geography boys went to King’s Cross to carry out their human fieldwork. The area surrounding King’s Cross was once very disreputable and something of an industrial wasteland; it was fairly disused, given that all that was left were the remnants of warehouses and railway sidings from the 1950s, when Coal Drops Yard was a bustling hub where trains crammed with coal would deliver their freight. What’s more, the land was contaminated. Recently, a regeneration project of Coal Drops Yard and Granary Square was implemented. 67 acres of land were transformed into a new part of the city with homes, shops, offices, galleries, bars, restaurants, schools, and even a university. It’s a whole new piece of London with a brand new postcode, N1C. The location, the connections, the canal-side setting, the rich and varied heritage, an exciting cultural scene, a thriving business community, and a strong sense of local community. All these things come together at King’s Cross to make it unique, exciting and really quite special. Year 11 visited Granary Square as well as an area near the station that had not been regenerated. At
both sites, the boys categorised the various different shops and carried out short questionnaires to gain an understanding of the public’s view of the regeneration project. We asked people their purpose for visiting the area (which involved some curious responses, such as Pokémon Go!) and whether or not they felt that the project had influenced the area positively. 1950s
1990s
Today
After having collected some qualitative and quantitative data, the boys got to taste some of the authentic food stalls in Granary Square, before taking the tube back to school. Learn more about geography at Wetherby by visiting the school’s dedicated geography Instagram/ Twitter accounts @wssgeography.
ISHAAN’s SUMMER MUSIC TOUR Ishaan B, Year 10 writes... It was late July, the holidays had just begun and I was dreaming of a long lazy summer in India, eating chocolate ice-cream in the sun and driving around the green fields of Goa… bliss.
along by ear. Later, Jal sent me a voice memo thanking me and inviting me to Oman to play for his next concert. I was very keen but unfortunately my parents reminded me that I needed to go to school!
After all that excitement, it was time for a more planned and crafted tour of Belgium. Over five days, our group of 50 or so, visited all over Belgium and played in towns and villages such as Dinant, Verviers and La Roche en Ardennes, in churches and outdoor bandstands, playing diverse pieces including the Batman theme, Tequila and Glenn Miller's American Patrol. It was hot – 40°C to be exact – but we still had lots of fun touring all over Belgium and even managing to cross the border to Maastricht in the Netherlands for a day of Of course, I immediately googled sightseeing. After getting back Jal and found out that he was an to London, we drove straight to acclaimed musician, writer, former St Alfege’s church in Greenwich child soldier and peace activist for our final concert. As tiring as from South Sudan! Impressive the twelve hour ferry and coach CV... I had been only been told trip was,we still played to our to prepare five or six songs which I practised by downloading and playing along them on Spotify. I admit I was nervous, as I wasn’t used to preparing so little nor had I done this style of music before in front of so many people. When I got to the venue, The Scoop overlooking Tower Bridge, I went backstage to meet Jal and he told me I could freewheel to the whole one-and-a-half-hour concert of around twenty songs! As challenging as this was, my nerves melted away as I got on stage and the adrenalin pumped, as the African rhythm exploded through the sub-woofers. I had great fun improvising and playing But first, I had to rehearse for my concert tour of Belgium with the London Youth Wind Band. I had played with them before and I knew the drill - rehearse, rehearse and rehearse some more! Then the phone rang. As these things happen, it was a friend of a friend of a family friend who knows the manager of a singer called Emmanuel Jal. He said it was a last minute thing but he needed someone to play the African drums at Jal’s concert, “Summer by the River”.
best ability as this was the concert attended by all our mums, dads and families. All that rehearsing does have its benefits: I was lucky to be awarded the 2019 Lenny Clark prize for the best student in the percussion department at the Centre for Young Musicians, where I study every Saturday.
THE GERMAN LANGUAGE Ramzi K, Year 9 writes... German is the most widely spoken native language in Europe, which is why it’s so important to learn it, especially in light of Brexit. It is also very easy to learn because English and German both belong to the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family. Because they are so closely related, they share many features which is why they share so many similar words. It is a very logical language too, because if you look at the literal meaning of words you can see how they mean what they mean. For example: Handschuh (hand shoe) = glove. Staubsauger (dust sucker) = hoover. Lebensmittel (ways of life) = food. Warteschlange (wait snake) = queue. Glühbirne (light pear) = light bulb And there is nothing more satisfying than memorising a 63-letter word like
Mein Vorbild ist Fryderyk Chopin, er ist Franzözisch. Er hat die beste Musik für das Klavier geschrieben aber leider, hat er nicht für das Orchester geschrieben. Das ist bedauerlich. Er ist jetzt tot aber im Leben war er leise und ruhig. Er hat ein Masterwerk geschrieben aber er wollte es nicht veröffentlichen. Wir wissen nicht warum aber später und nachdem er gestroben ist, haben wir es gefunden und wir haben es veröffentlicht! Sein Name ist “Fantasie Impromptu”. Ich lerne es jetzt. Es ist sehr schwierig. Er ist eine Inspiration für mich, weil er rühig und mächtig ist. Er war sehr sehr musikalischbegabt. Ich werde nächstes Jahr hoffentlich, Musik in “The Royal Academy of Music” studieren und später will ich auf viele Konzert spielen.
Translation: My role model is Fryderyk Chopin, he is French. He wrote the best music for the piano but unfortunately, he never wrote for the orchestra. That is disappointing. He is now dead but while he was alive, he was quiet and shut up by a lot of people. Once, he wrote a masterpiece but he didn’t want to publish it. We don’t know why, but later and, after he died, we found it and published it for him! Its name is “Fantasie Impomptu”. I’m currently learning it. It is very difficult. He is an inspiration for me because he was quiet and powerful at the same time. He was extremely musically talented. Hopefully, next year I will study music at “The Royal Academy of Music”, and after that, I will play in lots of concerts!
Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz! Although this word no longer exists there are still more words as long as this. If you’re wondering what this means, it is the law for the delegation of monitoring beef labelling. As the pronunciations of German words are difficult for English-speakers, it is a great platform to learn other languages that use the “kh” and “shp” such as Arabic, Russian, Hebrew and Mandarin. In Year 9 we are currently learning how to talk about our role models. Here’s something I wrote about my role model.
MATHS Monty C, Year 12 writes... In the photo below, it may look like the Lower Sixth Wetherby
further maths’ boys are taking part in a mock police line up with Mr. Bray as Chief Constable. However, if you look more closely
at the white boards, you can see the boys participating in their first further maths lesson of the year. The boys were mastering the initial stage of Decision 1 Further Maths. Mr. Bray is teaching the boys the algorithms of Quick sort and Bubble sort, both of which require a logical process of rearranging numbers or letters into order. I’m sure the boys will conquer the technique in the coming days. These algorithms form the basis of much of the computer technology widely used today. This is an example of how maths plays an important role in our everyday lives.
Wetherby games teachers or by the professional coaches at AMP. They are inclusive and encourage boys to challenge themselves and venture out of their comfort zones. Focus is also made on building team spirit; exercise is undertaken both on an individual basis and as a group, where two teams strive to rack up as many calories on
the AirDyne bike machines as possible, for example. Of course, the losing team must collectively fulfil an “exit tax” which is kindly chosen by the winning team.
YAD Henry B, Year 11 writes... One of the benefits of Wetherby Senior School is its ample selection of sports that pupils can choose from, ranging from rugby to yoga. This means that even if you are a somewhat less sporty chap (much like yours truly!) you can still partake in a sporting activity that you enjoy. YAD (or Youth Athletic Development) offers boys the opportunity to improve their strength and conditioning, as well as improving fitness levels. Pupils alternate between taking advantage of the school’s very own gym facilities and going to AMP athletic, a gym in the heart of Marylebone (just a five minute walk from the school). The sessions are conducted by our
Learn more about sport at Wetherby by visiting the school’s dedicated sports Instagram account @wsssports.
FRIDAY ACTIVITIES Henry B, Year 11 writes...
Bigger Picture Society
On Friday afternoons, boys choose an activity to take part in. Wetherby has a multitudinous list of clubs to choose from, so there is something for everyone! Below are a few snippets of what boys have said about their activity:
Gives pupils “exposure to alternative opinions and provides them with the ability to compromise [their] political views.” Tom Z, Year 13
Presents students with the opportunity to be “engaged in the news and world around us” Faiz A, Year 8
Astronomy Club
Psychology Club
MUN (Model United Nations) Helps to “develop good debating skills”. - Nico M, Year 12
Darts Club “Darts with Mr Astbury has always been most enjoyable.” - Harry O-C, Year 11
Graphic Design This “gives pupils the opportunity to further develop their coursework through focused learning.” - Mr Murphy
Art & Design “The Year 11 art and design club allows the boys to continue their coursework. Currently, the theme is ‘human form’.” - Mr Meyer
WORK EXPERIENCE - What your uNiversity APPLICATION NEEDS Henry B, Year 11 writes... In today’s world of work, it simply isn’t enough to have a degree and a good set of grades. In order to fly through a job application process and interview, it is necessary to have an ample list of previous work experience. Employers aren’t just looking for someone who can ace an exam, but rather a well-rounded person who has the necessary skills to perform in the workplace. With this in mind, work experience is the perfect opportunity to add to one’s CV, particularly in the lead up to university application. Interviews often consist of questions which require one to describe a situation in which one has used and demonstrated a necessary skill (examples include, but are not limited to “tell me about a time when you were a leader,” “have you ever had to deal with a difficult situation?” and “tell me about a time when you worked in a team.”). The best way to answer these questions is by having lots of examples; the more work experience you have done, the more you will be able to talk about during your interview. The STAR method is often used: begin by describing the Situation. What were the circumstances? Then, outline the Task. What did you have to do to resolve the issue? Tell them what Action you chose to take. Finally, end by stating the Result. Was your action successful? It’s not an issue if it wasn’t a success, but evaluate what could have gone better, as it’s still an opportunity to learn.
In September, I had the fantastic opportunity to do work experience at British Airways, one of the world’s largest airlines. This year is particularly special as BA is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Although it isn’t necessarily a career that I intend to pursue, it was a most insightful glimpse into what the daily operation of such a large corporation is like. What’s more, I was among 30 students that were offered a placement out of the 800 that applied; being deemed worthy of acceptance by a FTSE 100 company will no doubt be a fantastic credential for my CV. British Airways’ work experience placements give students the opportunity to gain real insights into the world of work and a first-hand experience of the fast-paced aviation industry. The airline expects students to deliver live projects during their placement, as well as focusing on workplace skills and helping to build confidence as students think about their future. In June 2018, British Airways' work experience programme was awarded Gold accreditation by Fair Train for the second year running. Wetherby Senior School organises for all pupils in Year 11 to complete work experience for a week after the end of GCSE examinations. This is a marvellous opportunity to develop one’s skillset for the future. If you have any further questions about work experience, speak to Miss Ridley, who is in charge of the scheme.
GOODWOOD REVIVAL - A STEP BACK IN TIME Henry B, Year 11 writes... The Goodwood Revival has been running for the last twenty-one years at the Goodwood Motor Circuit in Chichester, West Sussex. Every year, over 250,000 visitors experience the romance and glamour of motor racing as it used to be. The Revival is the only historic race meeting to be staged entirely in period dress (it’s like being on a film set!) and is a return to the halcyon days of Goodwood as the spiritual home of British motor racing. Some of the superb cars featured at the Revival include, but are not limited to, Jaguar E-Types, Ford GT40s and AC Cobras. My father has raced his Norton Manx motorbike in the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy for the last fourteen years. The occasion is one that allows him, along with all the other racers who take part, to hone his racing skills and to share this special event with family and friends. This year, I had the honour and privilege of meeting the threetime F1 world champion and racing legend, Sir Jackie Stewart, as well as Dani Pedrosa, threetime motorcycle world champion and MotoGP legend (read my interview with Mr. Pedrosa in the next issue of The Barometer). I also spotted both Bernie Ecclestone and Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean), whom I have met in previous years. The Revival is not only centred around racing, but also includes aviation. Freddie March, an ancestor of the current Duke of Richmond & Gordon (who
owns the Goodwood estate and organises the Revival, among other events at Goodwood), was a keen aviator; the FMSOA (Freddie March Spirit Of Aviation) was set up in his honour. The display includes a number of aircraft from the Second World War, including the famed Spitfire and P-51 Mustang. Most aircraft are in stunning condition and are still able to fly in the numerous spectacular air displays. Moreover,
a few, such as the T-6 Harvard, are often still used for pilot training. The “Over The Road” exhibition offers ticket holders the chance to peruse a whole host of shops and stalls – everything from the ice-cream van to Bonhams car auctioneers! This, combined with the racing, the aircraft and the period dress, offers a very unique opportunity to step into the Swinging Sixties.
OSCAR T: FILM CRITIC SPIDERMAN FAR FROM HOME: Spiderman Far From Home is the feel-good movie of the year. When Peter goes on a trip to Europe with his class, things go horribly wrong when they meet Mysterio and the monsters “that are after him”. This film is utterly charming. 8.8/10
BOOKSMART AND GOOD BOYS: Booksmart and Good Boys are both hilarious films with quite similar plots which see a group of teenagers making their way to a party and having an adventure along the way. Both are hilarious in their own way. For Booksmart, Olivia Wilde did a great job as director, creating emotional and equally hilarious moments. 8/10. Good Boys has dirtier and grittier humour and is produced by Seth Rogen, who is known for that style of film-making. 8.3/10
PET SEMATARY: Pet Sematary is the chilling tale based on the Stephen King novel that follows a family moving into their new grand country house. Chaos ensues when their daughter is killed in a car accident. Her father goes mad and is met with some equally mad foe. If you like horror but not getting frightened by cheap jump scares, then this is for you. The film lives up to the book and creates a creepy atmosphere that the audience can’t shake off. I would recommend this movie. 8.5/10
BEN’S REVIEWS Ben R, Year 10 reviews Skyfall... Skyfall is the twenty-third James Bond film. It was directed by Sam Mendes. Actors Daniel Craig stars as James Bond Judi Dench as M Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva Naomie Harris as Moneypenny Ralph Fiennes as Gareth Mallory Berenice Marlohe as Sévérine Albert Finney as Kincaid Ben Whishaw as Q Plot Beware of spoilers! Skyfall opens in Istanbul where Bond and Moneypenny are pursuing a mercenary called Patrice, who has stolen details of an undercover agent. As well as establishing the premise of the film early on, this sequence also introduces the credits and the theme song. Three months later, M is pressured by Gareth Mallory to retire. Suddenly, M receives a message before the building explodes. Bond, who has used his presumed death to retire, returns to London. He then goes to Shanghai to locate Patrice, but is not able to stop him killing a target. The two fight, but the mercenary falls to his death before Bond can learn his employer's identity. Bond finds a casino token that Patrice intended to cash in for the assassination, which leads him to a casino in Macau. There, Bond is approached by Sévérine, Patrice's accomplice, and asks to meet her employer. She promises to help Bond if he will kill her employer. Bond thwarts the attack and joins Sévérine on her yacht. They travel to an island but are
taken prisoner and delivered to Sévérine's employer, Raoul Silva. Silva, once an MI6 agent, has now turned to cyberterrorism and orchestrated the attack on MI6. Silva kills Sévérine, but Bond captures Silva. At MI6's new underground headquarters, Q attempts to decrypt Silva's laptop, but inadvertently gives it access to the MI6 servers, which allows Silva to escape. Bond chases Silva through the underground and thwarts Silva's attack at an inquiry where M is present. Instructing Q to leave an electronic trail for Silva to follow, Bond takes M to Skyfall where they meet Skyfall's gamekeeper, Kincade. When Silva's men arrive, Bond, M, and Kincade manage to kill most of them, but M is wounded. Silva himself arrives by helicopter with more men, so Bond sends M and Kincade to a nearby chapel. As the house is destroyed, Bond escapes down the same tunnel and heads toward the chapel. Silva survives the destruction of the house and follows Kincade and M to the chapel. He forces his gun into M's hand, begging her to
kill them both. Bond arrives and kills him, but M dies in Bond's arms. Following M's funeral, Moneypenny tells Bond that she is retiring from field work to become secretary for Mallory, the newly appointed M. Verdict This is a great film with loads of fast-paced action scenes and an excellent plot. From Shanghai to Scotland, the film is an enjoyable and sometimes heartbreaking film with a far more humanised Bond than the Bond who appeared in Quantum of Solace. Although a standalone film, it leads into Sceptre, the next film and could potentially have repercussions in the next Bond film (No Time To Die). In conclusion, Skyfall is a hugely enjoyable film to watch, although it has been criticised for having a lot of filler moments in between action sequences; these are overshadowed by the rest of the film. While it is not quite on the level of Casino Royale (the 2006 version), it certainly outstrips most other Bond films.
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