Science Enrichment:- Page 14

As usual, a focus for Terms 1 and 2 is our exciting series of weekly talks for our sixth formers. We are always exceptionally lucky in being able to attract highprofile speakers and this year has been no exception –it is great to see so many of our students take advantage of the academic excellence at our doorstep, and to be willing to engage by asking probing and challenging questions of experts on topics ranging from superconductors to social behaviour in bacteria.

Notable speakers for this year have included:

Prof Yadvinder Malhi on the Metabolism of Planet Earth

Prof Cecilia Lindgren on Big Data & Obesity

Prof Cath Green on the making of the Oxford Astra-Zeneca vaccine Prof Neil Ferguson on COVID 19

From Ms Ghaffar, Science Enrichment Coordinator; follow us on twitter: Cherwell School Science @Cherwell_Sci

Junior Leadership Team

Would you like to join the Junior Leadership Team?

What is it?

 It is a group drawn from the student body designed to provide additional leadership for the Cherwell School.  It works with a variety of partners including teachers, support staff, parents/carers and local community members.  The group is chaired by Headteacher Mr Price and The Co-chair for 2021-2022 is Linnea

Hopfenbeck (13HN)  The group meets on a fortnightly basis on Friday Lunchtimes

We are looking for students across the school (Years 7 to 13) who are:

 Prepared to give up their own time within school to benefit the community  Excited by the prospect of working in a team made up of students from across the school  Open to thinking strategically about ways to continually improve the school  Keen to communicate with the wider student body especially via tutor time or assembly presentations (training will be provided)  Willing to act as representatives for the school in a variety of different settings (e.g. Parents evenings) and with different partners (e.g School governors)

How to apply:

P

r  You should write an application of no more than ½ a side of A4 paper (about 250-300 words) setting out your interest in the post, any relevant experience, and a brief summary of what your aims would be during the year if appointed.  This should be sent to Mrs Lynda Dale ldale@cherwell.oxon.sch.uk  Applications to be submitted by start of Term 3 – Friday 7th January 2022

"The Cherwell School has been a wonderful place to spend this first half-term, thanks to its friendly staff and students as well as the great team of passionate and committed teachers I collaborate with. The feedback I receive day-in day-out from my mentor and colleagues is incredibly constructive and the teaching I have observed is of the highest standard. In addition, the school-centred approach of the Oxfordshire Teacher Training has been an invaluable opportunity for me to get substantial classroom experience from the beginning of term in a truly outstanding school. I can see every day how the vibrancy and the sense of community of Cherwell school together with its wide range of extracurricular activities benefits the academic success and emotional fulfilment of every single student."

Yasmine Saberi (MFL Associate)

" I can’t believe we are approaching 3 months with the SCITT at Cherwell. Where has the time gone? I have to say I am thoroughly enjoying the course. It’s definitely a challenge, no one day is ever the same! but I’m learning so much.

I really like the combination of being in school three or four days a week and then being in my SCITT hub for the remaining time (whether on-line or in person, the SCITT sessions are invaluable).

Caroline Slater, my mentor at Cherwell, has been very supportive and has guided me from my first half hour of teaching to the busy and full timetable I’m teaching now. Everyone in the Humanities department has been incredibly supportive and patient as I have learned about the work of the department and the school as a whole. The experience has offered me the opportunity to really understand how the faculty works and the staff have very generously included me in virtually all aspects of its operation. This has even included an invitation to the Faculty Christmas party, which I’m particularly looking forward to and will hopefully help mark the end of a thoroughly enjoyable two terms in the SCITT and at Cherwell School.

Many thanks to all the staff at Cherwell for making me so welcome and answering the many questions I have fired at them over the past 3 months! I’m very grateful."

Iain Wakefield (History Associate Teacher)

MFL DEPARTMENT NEWS

By Mr J Mehrabian

Earlier on in the term, the German Department was invited to a sixth form Oktoberfest event at Radley College. Students had an opportunity to meet and speak to other sixth form German students and completed a quiz on German culture. Traditional German food was consumed and students very much enjoyed the event.

More recently, the German Department welcomed Mr Sebastian Plewe, an English and PE teacher from IGS Einbeck Comprehensive school who stayed in Oxford for two weeks. Mr Plewe was able to support Year 11 students in the run up to their speaking mock examinations and did some revision classes on the play Andorra with our Year 13 class. Mr Plewe was also able to introduce the topic of Education with our Year 12 German class and explained the different schools that exist in Germany. Students took part in a debate on the pros and cons of school uniforms in German and our visitor was able to chair the debate and decide on the winning team! We very much hope that we can establish further links with IGS Einbeck in the near future. In March, we will be hosting another visiting teacher; Mrs Renate Esber-Trost who will be able to further support our students in the run up to final speaking examinations.

Lastly, our large Year 13 French cohort was fortunate to have had two in house lectures to revise key themes regarding the literary and film elements of the French A Level course. Our huge thanks go to Professor Hannah Thompson, who is a French lecturer at Royal Holloway University and Professor Nikolaj Lübecker, who lectures at the the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages at the University of Oxford for giving up their time so freely.

Professor Nikolaj Lübecker, who lectures at the the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages at the University of Oxford Professor Hannah Thompson, who is a French lecturer at Royal Holloway University

MFL DEPARTMENT NEWS

By Mr J Mehrabian

Mrs Saberi has been working with some of our sixth formers to create our first ever Languages magazine entitled the Global Dispatch. Students have contributed articles about topics that interest them in several languages, adding to the pre-existing multicultural environment at Cherwell.

We hope you will enjoy reading two of these articles: The first article in Spanish deals with the topic of deforestation in Rainforests, whilst the second article written in Arabic talks about the benefits of reading.