Creative News Issue 2 . Summer 2014
News, views and information about creativity at Bethnal Green Academy
Welcome to the summer issue of our termly newsletter, Creative News – keeping you informed about the creative learning opportunities and activities offered to students at BGA.
Welcome
from Ciaran Constable, Year 10
Opening this term’s Creative Newsletter has actually come as quite a surprise, due to how much I – and, quite frankly, the entire school – have had to do. Our school has really exceeded others’ expectations for this year. By this, I am of course referring to the 5th SoLFest (Summer of Learning) we’ve had. From the Year 9 STEM Challenge with Mr Moss and Ms Scales, to the exciting Latin and Roman Festival organised by Ms Thompson and the Language Department and the amazing production of Hamlet not to mention a multitude of other events that have gone on this term, that shall be touched upon in this newsletter. But there’s still more to come including: the Model UN Conference, the Farmers’ Market... and so much more. So to the past, the present and indeed the future, we’re going to have a well deserved rest now. However, as Hamlet he himself once said, ’To sleep, perchance to dream... ay there’s the rub’.
Stop Press!
BGA awarded Centre of Excellence Inclusion Quality Mark We are very pleased to announce that after a rigorous two-day assessment, BGA has been designated a Centre of Excellence for Inclusion. Staff, students, parents and stakeholders met with the assessor to discuss the wonderful work taking place at the academy and the assessor was absolutely overwhelmed by the commitment, dedication and determination of both staff and students alike! What does the Inclusion Quality Mark assessment say about BGA? Below is a small excerpt from the full report, which will be available to view very soon. “Passionate, articulate, hardworking, engaged, analytical, purposeful, creative, inspirational and visionary are all adjectives that can be attributed to the BGA staff. It was a pleasure to spend quality time in their company.” “The staff at all levels give above and beyond what one can reasonably expect of them.” “Nobody is left out, child or adult. All are valued for their unique gifts and talents.” Alison Brannick, Deputy Principal
The Art of Persuasion
On Wednesday 2nd July 2014 we invited the Kalisher Trust, a charity that works to encourage more students from the state sector to think about a career in Law, into our academy. Our students were challenged to construct and articulate arguments, battling against members of the Queens Counsel, which only admits lawyers who show consistent excellence in advocacy, in highlevel debates about morality and ethics. They used the medium of drama to complete these activities. The team of students was made up of our Year 10, Year 11 and Year 12 students and they were commended highly by the Kalisher Trust for their ability to tackle an argument in an original and insightful manner. Chris Chivers, IQM assessor, commented upon the fact that a senior Queen’s Council member had said that they were the best group with whom his organisation had worked. “You know that something special happens at this school”.
BGA Oscars 2014 The Bethnal Green Academy Oscars were held on Thursday 8th May 2014 to celebrate achievement in Art, Languages, Sport, Drama and Dance. Ninety-four students were awarded Oscars. The event was hosted by Ms Bellingham and Mr Palmer with the support of Ms Higdon. We are looking forward to the BGA Oscars 2015. There are too many students to mention by name, but the students who were awarded Oscars for Outstanding Contributions to the Arts, Sport and Culture were: Outstanding Contribution by Students New to the Country: Yuwen Chen (10SHd) and Phasit Phiradamrongchai (11FAs). Outstanding Contribution to Art: Leanne Ingram (12TZa) and Md Belal Ahmed Robi (13CMi) Outstanding contribution to Languages: Esther Luisa De Oliveira (9DCo) and Cameron Young (8CKi) Outstanding Contribution to Music: Ethan Paice (8JWh) Outstanding Contribution to Sport: Adil Imran Ali (10AWa) Outstanding Contribution to Fundraising: Hunter Anne Marie Carte Rosson (11RAd), Skylee-Marie Gardiner (11EMa) and Ayesha Aziz (11EMa) Outstanding Contribution to Performing Arts: Paulina Bazala (11EMa) and Asiatu Koroma (8CTh)
Issue 2 . Summer 2014
Art at BGA
Summer Art Exhibition On Thursday 3rd July the Art department’s Summer Exhibition celebrated this year’s work from BGA Art and Photography students.
The exhibition demonstrated the wide range of materials and concepts that the students at BGA have been exploring this year, from ceramics to installation pieces. Visitors to the exhibition commented on the high standards of the work, the technical achievements of the students and the thought-provoking issues they explored. Sandra Samuel Samkutty’s ceramic pot examined the issues of women in our society, and Madeglena Korsak’s work commented on the loneliness of a space once a person has left it. Also exhibited was the work that the Year 9 students created during the Allen and
Overy Artbeat project, where the students worked with metalwork techniques and expressive oil painting, exploring art and society in the local area. BGA Year twelve Photography students produced some colourful and thought provoking-images, taking inspiration from the Sixth Form Art trip to Paris earlier this year. Year 7 students reviewed the exhibition: Munira Hassan commented on Hands by Asma Begum (right): “I like this piece of artwork because the artist who made it didn’t only think of making a hand, they thought about bringing it to life. All the textures and the shapes and the curved bits make it look like a dirty hand. The picture makes me feel like I am looking at a real hand.” Leanne InGram liked Life is a Beach and Then You Die “because the artist who created it gave it a special touch, which is the whole wet feeling. It makes me feel like the whole atmosphere was depressing and sad. The message makes you think about what it means.” Bradley Lees talked about Tiago Vigeas’ Textures painting (left). “I like Tiago’s abstract work because he has used a range of different textures and techniques; the colours stand out and look great to the eye. The bumpy texture creates a nice feel and patterns show a strong sense of emotion and feelings based on his personality. There is a unique colour mixture that I noticed using secondary acrylic paints to bring out the mood.”
Courtauld Gallery Visit
Year 9 students visited the Courtauld Gallery on the Strand London, as part of the SolFest celebrations. In class they had been exploring the work of the French Fauves movement from the early part of the 20th century, experimenting with their use of complementary colours. They went to the gallery to experience seeing the works associated with the movement, getting up close and really observing the texture of the paint, which is often hard to see when looking at photographs of the work. They looked at the work of Henri Mattise and Andre Derrian. While at the gallery, the students enjoyed a guided tour by two art historians and they also worked directly from the paintings. They have written up an evaluation of the visit as part of their coursework unit for their Art GCSE.
Arts Award Day
As part of the Silver and Bronze Arts Awards, students Humaira Hoque, Yasmin Khatun and Nazifa Rashid planned an arts workshop day to be delivered to groups of Year 7 students. They put together a PowerPoint presentation and made resources to enable the students to create a world map using drawings, colour pencils, paint and collage. Throughout the day six groups worked together to fill the continents with objects and languages that represent the different parts of the world. “I would like to do more drawing and I would like to work more with my peers in the future.” Asha-Ayan, 7ASt “I enjoyed learning about the things Brazil has.” Andrea, 7NHi
Sculpture in the Art Friendship City Workshop This term, a group of Year 8 students have been taking part in the Sculpture in the City project, which is a series of workshops exploring newly installed sculpture in the City of London.
They met a group of architects and participated in various activities, from drawing views of the city from high up in Broadgate Tower to recording how people use the public space around the Gherkin.
Year 10 students visited Columbia Road as part of their I, Me, Mine project exploring their local area. They practised drawing from direct observation, drawing on location. 2
New sculptures have been installed in the spaces the students have been exploring and they have been drawing them and discussing their impact on the environment. This week the students met the renowned sculptor Richard Wentworth, who was installing False Ceiling, his work of hanging books at Leadenhall market.
On Tuesday 1st July, a group of Year 8 students participated in a an Art Friendship painting workshop. Seven Year 7 and 8 girls had the opportunity to take part in an Art workshop intended to help them develop positive relationships with their peers. During the morning, the girls participated in games and discussions to encourage them to consider what makes a good person and a good friend. They then created a self-portrait that reflected the positive aspects of their personality. A parent at the summer exhibition said “my daughter is so proud of her portrait and she has not stopped talking about it”. The paintings will be displayed in school to celebrate the students’ achievements.
Issue 2 . Summer 2014
Drama and Dance at BGA
All About Alice Here are some photos and thoughts from the audience on BGA’s whole-school production of Alice in Wonderland last term.
“Fantastic, great music – engaging, professional, exceptional. Well done BGA.”
Shakespeare Day 2014
Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragic tales, exploring the breakdown of the play’s protagonist: Hamlet. Our students have enjoyed exploring the themes of this epic tale from the perspective of apartheid, exploring the injustice many protestors suffered for their beliefs and choices. With the passing of Nelson Mandela at the end of 2013 and the constant reminders in the press of his legacy, the idea of South African apartheid providing a context for our production was considered. As we developed ideas for the play, certain quotes began to stand out as words which Mandela himself, rather than Hamlet, could have spoken: “In my heart, there was a kind of fighting that would not let me sleep”.
The themes of corruption, power and oppression seemed to fit perfectly within the context of Robben Island, an extreme microcosm of South African society in the 1960s and 1970s. Hamlet desires to step into the shoes of his father and become an inspirational leader of the ANC, but is not quite able to live up to his father’s memory.
It has been a pleasure to work with such a diverse and talented group of young people, ranging from Years 7 to 10. Over 60 students auditioned for the play and they have displayed great passion and resilience in rehearsals over the last two weeks. There were three performances over two days for the whole of Year 7, prospective Year 6 students, plus friends and family. They appeared to relate completely to Hamlet’s plight and the strong sense of injustice in the play, which we have made prominent within our interpretation. The creativity, energy and empathy which the students brought to the production have helped to create a totally unique and powerful version of the play for this year’s SOLfest. “To thine own self be true.” Lucy Bellingham and Natasha Higdon, Drama
BGA and Richmix
“Well done everyone on an incredible show! I absolutely loved it! Brilliant characters, dancing singing, the lot! Keep up the great work and I look forward to seeing more. The set and sound were spot on. Thank you.”
Since September, BGA has developed a partnership with Richmix Arts Centre. This has provided A-level Drama students with an opportunity to utilise the rehearsal space at the venue while preparing for their Unit 2 Exam. Staff from Richmix have also visited the school to observe A-Level lessons and the whole-school productions of Alice in Wonderland and Hamlet. In April, a group of Year 11 Drama students watched a rehearsal of Manjinder Virk’s play Glow, which is about a girl who wants to be a boxer. Our students asked the actors insightful questions after the reading and the playwright was very impressed.
USA visit to BGA
Disneyland Trip
During the May half term, 16 students from BGA travelled to Disneyland Paris to be part of the Disney Performing Arts Onstage Programme. On Sunday 1st June the students debuted on the Videopolis stage. The performance was phenomenal and our students represented the academy extremely well. The comments received by the Disneyland performing arts officials was outstanding, so much so that we have been invited back next year. Congratulations to Paulina Bazala, Nelia Sanca, Donnell Da Costa, Audrey Ayeley, Raveena Begum, Esther De Oliveira, Rushamba Wright, Jamal Temple, Ribka Aschalew, Asiatu Koroma, Mia Bramble, Sofia Corradini, Ritchie Malunda, Munira Hassan, Maher Chowdhury and Yinka Sterling-Badmus for their fantastic performance.
Dance Showcases
The students below are involved in a special collaborative dance project with St Paul’s Way School. The students have been working towards two Borough Dance Showcases on the 1st and another on the 7th July where they will be performing on stage with dancers from St Paul’s Way School. They have been training every Tuesday with Colleen Joseph, a hip hop dancer who has performed in Some Like it Hip Hop. They learnt the Big Dance Trafalgar Square movements with an urban twist.
Students from Northwest school in Seattle visited BGA and performed Crates of Thunder. It was a culmination of a history project exploring and learning about WWII Airmen. Students from both schools spent the day together walking around London. BGA students presented their research and one student has set up a blog whilst he American students chose to use drama to present their work in the form of Crates of Thunder. We are hoping for a return visit soon. On Friday 27th June 15 students involved who are part of Bronze and Silver Arts Awards in Dance, Drama and Art went to The Place Theatre in Euston to watch a dance production by the EDge Dance Company. The dance piece focused on relationships and shifting paradigms. The students enjoyed the performance and have begun to write their review of the performance. This will count towards one module of their Arts Award.
Thank You
Thank you to the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers, who kindly gave us a donation of £7,000 to run an Education in Stage and Theatre school. This took place during the Easter holidays and on Saturdays. As a result of this, Esta Charkham has offered four scholarships for students to attend her stage school in west London. The successful students are Zac, Asiatu, Daniel and Taylor. We would also like to thank all the parents and carers who have supported the school by donating their time and watching performances and productions throughout the year. “I so enjoyed the production of HAMLET... I thought they did a great job – the adaptation, the ensemble, the costumes, the choice of music – all completely fabulous.” Esta Charkham
“I really enjoyed the performance and was blown away by the talent of those young people. What they and their teachers did with Hamlet and pre-1994 South Africa was truly amazing.” Dumaeza Nhlapo
Dance Skills
From November 2013 to April 2014 Joss Arnott Dance Company have worked with BGA’s GCSE dancers and a select few Gifted and Talented Dance students to stretch and develop their performance and choreographic skills. This was an exciting and exhilarating experience for the GCSE dance students, as it has given them opportunities to work with professional dancers and choreographers. The students who have been selected are: Sylvia Ahmed (9AMa), Winfred Annor (9WMo), Audrey Ayeley (9AMa), Raveena Begum (9WMo), Safia Begum (9DCo), Donnell Da Costa (9RMa), Esther De Oliveira (9DCo), Kerilee Gardiner (9CAu), Ellie Gratton (9DCo), Senay Kasapoglu (9AMa), Ceylan Kaygana (9DCo), Kaja Lewandowski (9AMa), Oksana Malunda (9DCo), Charnae MehmetGreaves (9DCo), Alfie Nurthen (9WMo), Benjamin Oluwole (9WMo), Jordan White (9WMo).
Make Your Move
On Saturday 21st June, five GCSE Dance students from BGA performed at the Make Your Move Dance competition at the Greenwood Theatre. These students represented the academy well and were exceptionally well behaved. The competition requires dance groups to create a dance piece about the work of the British Red Cross. The students chose the theme of child soldiers in Sierra Leone. The judges felt that the students connected emotionally with the theme and that their performance was both thrilling and heart-warming. The students won a special award for “The Most Emotive Performance”. Out of 12 dance schools, BGA came fourth in the competition. This is a great achievement for the dancers. Congratulations on he thrilling performances of: Safia Begum (9DCo), Esther De Oliveira (9DCo), Raveena Begum (9WMo), Ceylan Kaygana (9DCo), Audrey Ayeley (9AMa). The following students also raised some money for the British Red Cross and received a bronze fundraising certificate as they raised over £200: Gemma Linsey (8JRo), Jessica Jibbison (8KDe), Monee Morris (8JRo), Anneisha Husbands (8JWh), Rushamba Wright (8JWh). 3
Issue 2 . Summer 2014
Science at BGA
Science Week
Science in the Street took place between 12th and 16th May. Students got involved with exploring key contributions by scientists and completed a task identifying a code to enter into a prize draw. The cool science varied from the chromatography of cupcakes to bikes powering electrical equipments and radioactivity. Six students competed each day and were awarded with prizes at the end of the week. 1st prize – Sumaya Yasmin. 2nd Prize Babor Mohammed, 3rd Prize – Ethan Paice. Runners-up received fantastic science books.
STEM Drag Racers Year 8 and 9 students spent an explosive day designing and building the best drag racer to compete in the final. The day was based around STEM careers and the use of iterative design to develop the ultimate drag racing machine. The day culminated in a flurry of excitement in the sports hall where the finals began. The atmosphere was intense, with exploding cars and the occasional exploding launcher! A great day was had by students and teachers alike.
TeenTech Awards
Element Adventure
On Wednesday 18th June, St. Matthias Primary School’s Year 4 Gifted and Talented students were invited to BGA for an Element Adventure Science Workshop. This was to complement their completion of the book Element Hunter, in which a student sets out to find every element in the periodic table. The students completed a range of experiments to discover more about the periodic table, including the unusual reactions of alkali metals with water!
Science Writing Contest During the spring term, a Science Writing Competition was launched. Open to all students in Years 7 to 10, the core aim of the competition was to develop students’ skills in writing longer pieces of scientific prose. A wide range of topics was offered – from astrophysics to nanotechnology and human biology – all of which stretched the students well beyond the curriculum. Essays were marked using two main criteria - the depth and understanding of the scientific content, and the ability to express this content in an organised and well-structured manner. Essays from all year groups were received. Three overall winners were chosen, and these students will shortly be awarded with their iPod Shuffle prizes. This has been a great opportunity for students to explore not only extra-curricular science, but also the world of science literacy. Hopefully, this will benefit the students well beyond the sciences – after all, students who are scientifically literate are not merely able to argue, but also know how to form convincing evidence-based arguments.
Hydrogen Lego
We went on a trip to City Hall, a prestigious place where members of the Parliament discuss potential changes for the development of the city. We were invited to the event as we had succeeded in a competition where we were asked to design a car made out of Lego. This car design was special because it was powered by hydrogen – an innovative fuel designed for the future. There are already buses in central London powered by this renewable and green source of energy. When we arrived, we had our bags checked and x-rayed and we had a stroll around the ninth floor balcony where the view was incredible. When the competition started, we immediately got to work assembling ‘Johnny Amir’, our prize-winning Lego car, and after a while decided it was time for our first run. Unfortunately, our car failed to even pass the starting line! Our second run was much more successful, gaining 4
On Wednesday 25th June 2014, three Year 9 students attended the TeenTech finals. Taznim Aktar Nisha, Mahfuza Choudhury and Lilyma Begum’s entry into the national competition was selected to go through to the finals where they needed to present their ideas to a number of high-profile judges. Their design was for a biometric watch that produces unique codes to improve security online. They represented the school in the national competition excellently, but unfortunately did not win the top prize on the day. Well done to all the students who took part in the TeenTech Awards this year – we will be looking for some other future finalists for next year soon!
Stem From the City On Friday 27th June 2014, a group of G&T Year 9 students attended ‘Stem from the City’ at the Guildhall by invitation of the Lord Mayor, Fiona Woolf. The special careers event, designed for Year 9 students, showed the wide range of careers available that draw on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). The students had a great afternoon finding out about different career paths, as well as how we can use modern technology in everyday life; this included learning how to transform their mobile phones into microscopes.
EDF Big Energy Project Over a number of weeks, Year 7 Science students designed and implemented campaigns to raise awareness of how energy can be saved in our homes and work places. The whole year group did an excellent job creating a variety of different campaigns, including websites, YouTube videos, posters, leaflets and presentations. The winning group of students was from Mr Palmer’s class, and they were: Fahmida, Md Yusuf, Jonathanne, Aysha, Haroon and D’andre. The winning teams from each class were invited to attend the ‘Rock Assembly’ at Wembley Arena hosted by the charity The Transformation Trust, to celebrate students’ success in the Big Energy Project. In addition pupils attended the Futures Fair – an exhibition featuring universities and employers such as BT, Barclays, Coca Cola, Dell, EDF, Lloyds, Nationwide and Siemens. It was a great way for young people to find out about opportunities and start thinking about what they are interested in for the future.
Accepting our reward at City Hall. us a distance of 18 metres which was then the top distance in our side of the room. Unfortunately, we were still disappointed because our classroom’s top score was 28 metres. After this we had a brief conversation with a Member of Parliament who had come to oversee the event. Our third and fourth runs were somewhat disappointing (this was merely a competition of luck, which we evidently did not have). But our wounded prides were consoled by the scrumptious cake and fruit spread laid on for all the competitors. Written by Hanim and Mahima
Making cordial for the Farmers’ Market
BGA Farm
Food for Life Partnership Update “You mean you can eat that? Even though it has been in the ground?” BGA’s two growing spaces are well under way this year with the help of our expert horticulture consultant and, of course, our green-fingered students. So far, over 40 students have been involved with the project this academic year; this has involved a whole host of different activities from planting seeds, watering, weeding, classifying and relocating pests to compost management and finally the harvesting and, most importantly, the sampling! Students have enjoyed learning valuable outdoor skills and learnt lots about nature. Due to popular demand, BGA’s very own chutney will be making another appearance at the third Farmers’ Market on 17th July. This summer, it will be sold with our own elderflower cordial, lavender scent bags and a whole array of beautiful fresh vegetables – all sourced, grown and tended to on-site by our gang of helpers. The market will also support small, local producers and will also provide opportunities for members of the school and wider community to buy local, fresh and seasonal produce. The future for Food for Life is rosy. There are plans to build a polytunnel that would allow students to grow seeds through the harsh winter months and would also provide an ‘indoor learning zone’ in the garden. There is space for a herbarium, another raised bed and the reward of going on another farm trip. BGA is very excited about how quickly the Food for Life project is evolving and the life skills and volunteering opportunities that it brings for both our students and staff. So, as the quote from one of our students above suggests, we are breaking down misconceptions about growing your own food and making students aware of what they can actually eat. What what will it be? Should we put you down for a jar of spicy pumpkin pickle or some tangy green tomato relish?
Science Museum Trip
10Sc1 went on a fantastic trip to the Science Museum to celebrate the end of their Additional Science GCSE. They had a lot of fun exploring the museum and particularly enjoyed the creativity of the science experiments in the launch pad – listening to music through your teeth being a favourite. The group showed fantastic team-working skills in the bridgemaking challenge and, after a few failed attempts, they finally succeeded. The students were ambassadors of the Academy with members of staff at the launch pad commenting on them being the best group of Year 10s they had seen. The launch pad was very busy with younger students and museum staff were very impressed by how our students helped the younger students and allowed them to explore exhibits before them.
Issue 2 . Summer 2014
MFL at BGA
Football in Berlin From 2nd–6th April, our 18 star footballer linguists travelled to Germany for a uniquely themed visit which fused football with German and the opportunity to explore and savour the bewitching city of Berlin.
Ask our teacher Name: Ms Manrique
Subject: Director of Learning - Languages One interesting fact about yourself: I did not know how to speak any language apart from English until I was 20.
It is difficult to fully describe how magical the trip was, and indeed how this project has evolved and enabled our students to flourish.
What do you like about BGA?: What I love most is the enthusiasm of students.
Here are some of the highlights: We learnt a great deal about Berlin’s past and how it shapes us and who we are today.
What would you like to achieve in a year’s time? I would love to see Languages linked with every department in school.
Special Screening of Learning Deutsch – The Arsenal Double Club
Hertha Berlin offered us their training grounds...
...and gave free tickets to us and to our new German partners school so that the boys could watch the football together.
Roman Festival
“Salvete amici et amicae.” This is just how Ocratii Maximi Gittus and Gaius Flavius Longinus, two Roman soldiers, greeted students in Years 7, 8 and 9 before launching into a captivating exploration of life in the Roman army and Roman Britain. Students tried on a Roman soldier’s armour and we found out just how heavy it was: a soldier would march into battle carrying no less than 30 kilos of equipment! We witnessed firsthand that a Roman’s chainmail was impenetrable to the stabs and slashes of a sword, no matter how sharp the blade. We saw how the army kept order among the ranks, using the hastilis or “teaching stick”. Moreover, students dressed up in a Roman lady’s finest clothes and then re-enacted a Roman dinner party. Our students’ reaction was fantastic: students from across the school broadened and enhanced their understanding of the Romans. In addition, BGA’s first Roman and Latin Festival saw departments across the school delivering workshops to raise our students’ awareness and appreciation of just how much the Romans have done for us. Students learned a great deal, deciphering Roman numerals and studying how their hypocausts used convection to
Bethnal Green Academy
TRIP TO
“I learnt much more than German on this trip. What I learnt about myself is that I can be a leader, and can have a real impact on younger students. I’ve helped the Y7s on this trip and I now know that I definitely want to be a ‘Sports Leader’ next year.” Guled Abdi, Year 10
heat the Roman baths. The students also explored how aqueducts improved sanitation and health in Roman times. Roman myths were shared and discussed, and the students performed in a Greek Chorus in a dramatic play and questioned why the Romans wanted to build an empire and who benefited from it.
SOAS and CAPITAL L Summer School
On Thursday 19th June, in a week that began with four goals from the German World Cup team, students, families and special guests were invited to the London Premiere of the Deutsche Welle documentary which tracked the phenomenal progress of our footballer linguists. Guests were treated to World Cup themed cupcakes, and students had the opportunity to look back and celebrate their success over the last eight months. A.K Mohamed and Yubaidul Hussain in Year 10 did a superb job hosting the evening, and were articulate, confident speakers who managed to convey our gratitude for all of the external partners who made the project possible. Special gifts were awarded to our partners from the London Goethe Institut, UK German Connection, Deutsche Welle and, of course, the Arsenal Double Club. Once up on the stage receiving their certificates, students were surprised by a special visit from Gunnersaurus who congratulated them and stayed for photos with families afterwards. The evening was a great success, with students feeling proud and families and guests wowed. Elizabeth Manrique, DOL, Languages
After a gruelling selection process competing against students from other schools across London, two of our Year 10 students, Humaira Hoque and Yuwen Chen, were selected to take part in the SOAS and Capital L Summer School. Over the five days, they visited five different universities where they were introduced to new languages – Chinese Mandarin, Portuguese, Arabic and Japanese – and learnt about the cultures of the countries where these languages are spoken. They also had the amazing opportunity to visit Paris on one of the days, which was, as they put it, “the highlight of the whole week”. They both had an enriching and exciting time. “This summer school came to an end, but I made many friends, I learnt so much about the importance of learning languages and, especially, we all had fun. Capital L summer school was a great experience and I am glad I applied for it.” Humaira Hoque, Year 10 5
Issue 2 . Summer 2014
Music at BGA
Success in Instrumental Lessons
Drum Works
“Working with Drum Works was so amazing. I felt really confident afterwards and proud of what I achieved.” Year 7 student (2014) Barbican/Guildhall Creative Learning has been running Drum Works in east London schools for the past nine years. We were very pleased to give 12 Year 7 and 8 students the opportunity to work with Drum Works. At the end of Shakespeare Day...everybody was talking about how fantastic they were. There was a real buzz and we look forward to working with Drum Works in the future and giving more people the opportunity to work with them.
School Band
Some of you may have seen or even taken part in School Band rehearsals, but not many of you will know how many hours of hard work the band have put into their performances this year. Every Friday after school, students turn up to rehearse for two hours as a group and will often rehearse in their break and lunch hours to learn and improve on their pieces. Congratulations to Akif, Cristian, Janelle, Amanda, Ashok, Theo, T’Neil, Yoseph and all the other students who have been involved this year.
Musician of the Future
He is a naturally gifted singer, plays the clarinet and oboe in an orchestra for Tower Hamlets and in the space of a year has learnt to play the guitar to a very high standard. Congratulations to Theo Gilbert in Year 9 who is not only a great musician, but who manages to find the time around his studies to practise for hours each week. If you have not heard Theo perform, expect to see him in a venue nearby very soon!
Year 7 Trip to Richmix During the spring term, 20 Year 7 students were chosen to take part in a music project run in partnership with local venue Richmix and the Grand Union Orchestra. The project culminated in a performance at Richmix given by the students and musicians from the orchestra to an audience of children from three local primary schools and their teachers. The students performed two songs and an incredibly effective percussion piece, which they learnt only one hour before the performance! All of the students were very professional on the day and worked really hard to make sure that the concert went well. The orchestral musicians were very impressed with the students and hope that they will continue to perform in the future. The school is grateful to both the Grand Union Orchestra and Richmix staff for all of their help and support for the event. A big well done to those students from 7NHi who took part, in particular Abul and Mohamed, who were very confident on stage.
Congratulations to both Esther in Year 9 and to Ashok in Year 10, have made good progress in their instrumental lessons this term much to the delight of their instrumental teachers. Esther is working through violin examination material with her teacher and Ashok is due to take his Grade 4 trumpet examination this summer, following an excellent progress report from his trumpet teacher. Further congratulations to Katie in Year 11 who this year, despite being busy with exams, has also found the time to take up the drums. Her tutor has been incredibly impressed with her natural ability for rhythm and commitment to practise, which has seen her progress onto examination material in a very short time.
Business Students at Spitalfields Market Thursday 3rd July was the day our Year 12 Business entrepreneurs had been waiting for. For one day only, the BGA’s very own students were in Spitalfields to sell the products they had developed using the artwork produced by Year 9s for the Artbeat project. The students’ performance was phenomenal! They took over two pitches in the market and sold their products directly to the public boldly and confidently. All the skills they have developed this year in their Business Studies course came together, and the students’ hard work paid off as they made £377.22! This allowed them to donate to their chosen charities: Moorfields Eye Hospital, Remembering Srebenica and Step Forward. What a fantastic achievement!
Sixth Form at BGA
BGA Sixth Formers Shoot for the Stars Planning for the Future
Prospective Year 13 students could not stay away from BGA, returning for the Sixth Form’s ‘Planning for the Future’ programme, which was launched by Teach First at their prestigious riverside offices in central London. Guided by Teach First ambassadors, the students considered their short-, medium- and long-term objectives using the SMART framework, which set the tone for the programme’s activities during June and July.
Summer of Scholars Our prospective Year 12 students have had a flying start in the BGA Sixth Form, taking part in the flagship ‘Summer of Scholars’ event from 7th–11th July. This event gave students a phenomenal opportunity to hone their subject knowledge and research skills, with academics from SOAS, University of London, on hand to assist the students in developing their research methods. The programme culminated in a series of captivating presentations in the following subject areas: • Natural Sciences; • Social Sciences; • English Literature and History; • Modern Foreign Languages; • Business, Economics and Maths; and • Creative Arts As if this was not enough, on 9th July the students visited the University of Cambridge where they experienced first-hand what university life is like at one of the world’s leading universities. Students have also been introduced to a range of career sectors. Dr Misra wowed our budding scientists, answering all their burning questions about medicine, while Aimee Llewellyn, from the Kennel Club led a lively debate about genetics which drew upon her experience working in he veterinary sector.
The Sixth Form welcomed an impressive range of leading organisations to inspire and motivate, including Deloitte, Bloomberg, Nestle, HSBC, Linklaters, Accenture, Arup, Redington Investment, FC Business Intelligence, the Metropolitan Police, and the Financial Ombudsmen Service. The academy’s ongoing work with the East London Business Alliance has been instrumental in facilitating many of these fantastic opportunities. Workshops with these experienced professionals focused on career pathways and developing a range of tools and strategies to get there. Topics included standing out from the crowd, managing money, and employability, with a particular focus on mock interviews and writing winning CVs and personal statements. The students also visited the University of Nottingham, a leading Russell Group University, where they attended mock seminars on ‘Human Cloning’ and ‘Crime, Crisis and the City in 1970s America’. The students fully engaged with university learning styles and asked many probing questions of the academics leading the sessions. The day concluded with a tour of the university’s campus, which gave a flavour of university life. Following the trip, Unifrog speakers outlined how students can access their latest software, which consolidates course information, enabling students to make informed choices when applying to universities next term.
Some of our prospective Year 13 students have also accessed some amazing opportunities this half term. Following a successful University of London Taster Day in Biomedical Sciences, Rahena Khanom attended Queen Mary’s Medicine and Dentistry Summer School, where she attended university lectures and gained practical healthcare experience through a series of simulation exercises. Rahena said “the trip was very inspirational and I am now 99.9% sure that Queen Mary will be my first choice university in September!” Rahena will also take part in the Biochemistry Sutton Trust Summer School later in August. A-level physicist Abdul Fahim has also successfully gained a place to attend the ‘Mission Discovery’ Summer School at King’s College London. Abdul Fahim will be working with the Biomedical Science department and astronauts from NASA in the summer holidays to design a piece of equipment that will be sent into space! Arif Uddin submitted a successful application to the Allen and Overy’s Nationwide Smart Start Challenge. He was invited to attend an Allen & Overy skills and assessment day in July, where he was awarded a City and Guilds enterprise certificate. In addition to this, out of 200 participants, 60 were selected to receive a week’s work experience on the award-winning Smart Start Experience programme and one year of e-mentoring. Arif made it through to the final 60 and impressed assessors with his outstanding leadership and problem-solving skills.
BGA has been invited to join the London Mayor’s Gold Club, a collection of the 100 top-ranking schools in the capital. We have been selected for our consistent excellence academically, pastorally and in engaging with the local community. This will provide some fantastic opportunities for BGA to present best practice to other members of the London School’s Gold Club, helping them to progress beyond outstanding status. In addition, our staff will receive exclusive invites to CPD opportunities delivered by other members of the Gold Club.
Issue 2 . Summer 2014
English at BGA
Hip Hop Shakespeare
Between 24th and 26th June, BGA had the pleasure of being visited by some of the UK’s most eminent emcees: MOBO award-winner Akala, Mercury award nominee Ty and Lorianalytical joined us to run a series of workshops with our Year 7 to 9 students all about the surprisingly fertile intersect between hip hop music and Shakespeare. At first blush, these seem to be two quite separate artistic spheres. ‘Shakespeare’ remains a byword for stiff and stuffy Elizabethan theatre, while in the popular consciousness hip hop is regularly caricatured as an African American advert for anti-social behaviour. Neither of these pictures is accurate, and the Hip Hop Shakespeare Company has devoted the past 7 years to travelling the world exorcising these myths.
Poetry Day
On Wednesday 18th June, students from all years took a newly creative attitude towards creating poetry in English classes, at lunchtime and around the school. Students were influenced by poems from the literary canon alongside contemporary spoken word poetry when creating their own poetry and the engagement with new vocabulary, techniques and subject matters was truly impressive from a huge range of students. The lunchtime events culminated with ‘playground poetry’, where students wrote and illustrated their favourite new pieces of poetry on the playground floor. This poem is written by Janna, 7SBn: A painted wing of red rose A crying shore lies like pain Dead night can’t sleep
By marrying the faster tempo of contemporary rap with restructured Shakespearean scenes that explicate their core themes with a modern twist, they have made Shakespeare more accessible and engaging for countless students. They have developed educational workshops that concentrate on writing, performing and appreciating philosophy-infused poetry. Along the way they have cultivated and encouraged an ambitious outlook on what art can, and should, aim to achieve.
Ask Our Teacher Name: Ms Cradduck Subject: English One interesting fact about yourself: I have coached trampolining at GB level. What do you like about BGA?: The amazing community spirit within the staff and the fact that people really pull together! What would you like to achieve in a year’s time? A happy and successful 2014 Year 7 cohort!
Shakespeare Day 2014
Here is some of the fantastic work our students produced. Particular accolades must go to Year 7, who Akala described as “probably the best Year 7 group I’ve ever worked with”. As we engage in battle, my thoughts are a castle. The brightness of the darkness, our pain in vain. Amidst the feast, we speak of peace with smiling faces. With our eyes we cry, and now our life is Left cold and hard like steel. by Kamil Luk I was not born under a rhyming planet, I was drawn in by a magnet, Attracted by the forceful rays of light. I was not born under a rhyming planet, You may say I’m weird but I’m unique, I could just as fairly say “you’re the freak” I was not born under a rhyming planet, Some say you’re hot But we all know that you’re not, You’re just burnt. Finally, the thing we all dreaded, I end up proving that you’re big-headed. by Alfie Harkins The most benevolent king communicates through your dreams, In life, things are not always how they seem You need to be careful who you pick for your team. There is no time to commit a sin There is only time to gain a win. I step out to swim in the lake, I see some logs floating in a pile But really there hides a crocodile. My heart skips a beat and up I jump – As I fling I find myself as a king, But perhaps I am just another thing.
by Jaher Basit
Ask Our Teacher
Name: Ms Kraemer Subject: English One interesting fact about yourself: I play the violin on stages around the country. What do you like about BGA?: The amazing range of opportunities for staff and students to think outside the box and work together as a team. What would you like to achieve in a year’s time? I would like to see a published anthology of the wonderful creative work that students produce at BGA.
WordCup
For the last two months, students in Year 8 have been working with our two resident poets, Maliaka Booker and Cecelia Knapp, on a series of performance poems. The project has developed the students’ creative written responses. However, the WordCup differs from other poetry workshops as it is a specific project about performance poetry. Our students will compete against other students from schools across London in poetry slams. This requires students to be able to think on the spot and deliver poetry in an engaging manner. Through the support of Maliaka and Cecelia, students have developed their own ‘voice’ so that they are able to articulate their emotions on anything from the weather and politics to love. The culmination of this work will occur in the live slam, taking place on Saturday 11th July in Stratford Circus. This is a sample of some of the work students have been drafting: Subject: In the air poem The British Weather? The rustling leaves brush their musk smell up her nose. She whistles. The flowers answer to her call. She whispers. Her lullabies cradle the passions of nature. She laughs. The sound of her voice makes even the most fickle hearts open up. She covers me like a warm blanket after a tiring day She gazes, her beam like a blind man seeing. Her beauty shines through the forest: a lost crystal buried within a carpet. She gets lost in thought, as always, her anger seeps out A thundering winds with no remorse, a million men could not stop the emotion Always with her eternal motion. She shouts thunders, hollers rocky hailstones, Her spirit hovers as she lets go of droplets of hate The shadow of the nearby forest, darkening her slick movements The shadow of the nearby forest, gone from her undiluted rage Soothed by the smell of fresh tree bark She will come to you early and stay by late A hand that bullies, twisting bodies A hand that spoons, newborn colours A hand that smears our past. The warmth of the sun erases her story as She highlights emerald memories. Like helium she is light and free, until she disappears into the dark abyss of infinite space.
Our annual Shakespeare Day was a spectacular affair once again. This year’s theme was Hamlet, with a twist. The ambitious drama department adapted the play to be set on Robben Island in South Africa during Apartheid and managed to combine the haunting themes and beautiful language of Shakespeare with the moral lessons and devastating reality of apartheid. The street was transformed into a hub of activity with students taking part in literacy workshops themed around Hamlet and South Africa. The work produced was of an exceptionally high standard enabled by the 42 Teach First graduate teachers who provided specialised support to our year 7 students. For Friday’s event, we invited the new BGA year 7 cohort to experience the exciting day led, this time, by the Teach First teachers. At the end of the two days, students completed evaluation forms which confirmed how much they had learnt about Hamlet and engaged in the performance and activities delivered. Roll on next year!
The Future of Journalism
On Monday 16th June, 20 students from Years 10, 11 and 12 went to the Future of Journalism conference which was run by the Young Journalist Academy. The day was an opportunity for students to network and find out about a career in Journalism. Initially, there was a question and answer session with professionals from the Tab (an online student publication), Google video and the Wall Street Journal. Our students asked some extremely probing questions about bias in the media and how to establish a free press. Throughout the day, students took part in various practical workshops: creating online videos; identifying ‘truth’ in journalism; writing headlines; and practical ways to manage social media accounts. The end of the day saw our students grilling a journalist from the Guardian newspaper on inconsistencies in his responses to questions in the question and answer ssessions, demonstrating the intelligence and tenacity that Jeremy Paxman would be envious of! Most importantly, students left the conference enthused and excited about a career in the field of journalism. 7
Issue 2 . Summer 2014
Sport at BGA
World Cup Carnival Last week the PE department hosted the BGA World Cup Carnival. With the World Cup playing out in Brazil, we decided to create a cross-curricular event that offered an insight into Brazilian culture. Those who attended participated in a capoeira workshop (Brazilian dance/martial arts), a Brazilian music workshop, a Brazilian Portuguese language workshop, and a limbo and penalty shootout competition. There was a great atmosphere at the carnival as the students developed new skill sets and enjoyed new experiences, all to the sound of the carnival music! After the carnival, students stayed to watch the world cup on the big screen in the hall. Thank you to all staff who supported the event.
Cricket Tour - Eton College and Dulwich College 5th –26th June)
On 5th June, our senior cricket team travelled to Eton College for a cricket fixture. While we were unable to secure a victory, there were many positives in what was a historic sporting fixture for BGA. Many of the Eton students play countylevel cricket and are members of the national U15 squad. Our students were outstanding ambassadors for both our school and our community. Meeting and greeting Eton staff and students was a great experience, and the students from BGA left a great impression. As a result, we have developed a formal link with the school and have already begun arranging future fixtures. The senior cricket captain, Mahek Parssottam, did an excellent job of leading our team both on and off the field. Haider Jubarkheil had the best bowling stats of both teams. Tahir Mohammed got four wickets and 37 runs. We scored eight wickets in total. Two weeks later, we travelled to Dulwich College; on this occasion, Ahad Choudary scored 38 runs, Mahek Parssottam got a wicket and two superb run outs, one of which was described by the Dulwich coach as the best he’d seen in youth cricket! This tour has been quite an experience for the students – one that will hopefully raise their aspirations with regard to both sport and academia.
Simmonds Cup
BGA Wins Basketball Competition at Raines!
(25th June–Mile End Stadium)
This tournament is an annual invitation-only event that has occurred since 1986 and is attended by 16 of the top London schools, including the winners from six London boroughs and Whitgift and Dulwich College private schools. We had fantastic results winning 18 medals and the following school records were broken; Year 7 D’Andre Davis - 100 metres in 13.0 seconds Jermaine Marshall - Javelin 15.97 metres Shafayet Khan - Discus 18.62 metres. Year 8 Ismail Mustaphe - Shot Putt 10.86 metres Revauni Tulloch - 100 metres 12.60 seconds 4x400 metre relay in 4 minutes 29 seconds. Team Devonte Watson, Ismail Mustaphe, Adam Bukenya and Revauni Tulloch
On 22nd May, ten students competed in a twoon-two basketball competition hosted at Raines Secondary School and organised by the Met Police as a means of supporting community cohesion. In an enthralling competition, Silvio Biziki and AK Mohammed went all the way to the final and won the competition, beating Raines 7–4 in the final game! A fantastic effort in what will be an annual competition.
Emirates Trip for Premier League Reading Initiative
The adventure sports programme came to an end this week with the conclusion of summer kayaking. Well done to all students involved. Throughout the year students have experienced rock climbing, kayaking and bmx biking. We hope to build on the initiative next year
PE Celebrates Diversity
On 2nd June, a group of students were invited to take part in an author-led literacy session at Arsenal’s Emirates stadium. The day was comprised of a creative writing workshop, a stadium tour and a lyric writing session. Staff and authors commented on the enthusiasm and excellent behaviour of students. The event was linked to the premier league reading scheme, is been aimed at developing reading incentives for select students.
As part of Celebrating Difference week at BGA, PE staff developed specific recourses that gave the students an insight into disability sport. Students competed in badminton, cricket and netball all week using recourses that inhibited sight, sound and physical movement. Students developed empathy and greater awareness towards disability sport.
English Schools Track and Field Athletics Results On 22nd May the athletics squads competed in the English Track and Field Cup. BGA competed against 16 other schools from across London and narrowly missed out on qualification for the South East finals. Fifteen BGA school records were broken on the day. A huge well done to all the students involved. Exceptional results: Devonte Watson: 300m in 44.3 seconds Silvio Biziki: 12.3 secs in 100m & 11.79 in triple jump
Visit us at www.bethnalgreenacademy.co.uk
Ismail Mustapha: 27.8 secs in 200m and 10.57m in shot put Adil Ali: 39.3 secs in 300m and 4.83m in long jump Kaya Mulligan: 14.6 secs in 100m Kevani Cameron: 9.25m in triple jump Tafari Kelvin: 18.52m in discus Gemma Lindsey: 1.39m in high jump Claudimira Landim: 15.7 secs in hurdles & 1.39 in high jump Sakariya Hassan: 4.59 in 1500m
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Bethnal Green Academy . Gosset Street . London E2 6NW . Tel: 020 7920 7900 . Email: info@bethnalgreenacademy.co.uk