The Greenhouse by Do Good Branding

Contents / Editorial

Trips

Creative

Events Action Week

Art

Osmington Bay

St Catherine’s Day

Drama

Geography Trip

Senior Citizens’ Tea Party

Middle School Play

German Exchange

Wonders of the World

Senior School Play

Spainish Exchange

European Youth Parliament

Creative Writing

French Exchange

Design & Technology

Belgium: The Trenches

Music

Oxbridge

Senior School Carol Service 30

Art Trip 41

Interview: Mr Davies 31

Action Week Page 6

Art at Habs Page 10

Vienna Art Trip Page 41

The Greenhouse Team Editorial Team

Features

Successes

Editors in Chief Abi Samuels Emma Brand

Catharine Powers-Freeling Chandni Palan Elise Nelson Hannah Marcus Louisa Skalla

Elissa Patel Sybil Gillespie

Photo Editor Alex Oldfield

Photography Jemma Goldstein Olivia Ufland

News Sport Eli Birch Emily Lipscomb Rukmini Prasad

Miranda Fern Zoe Bernstein Eleanor Gregory

Trips and Events Arts Talia Goldman Alaina Dudhia Natasha Cutler Susanna Blankfield Georgi Arnold Chloe Abrahams

Aanika Virani Olivia Sinclair Asha Parmar Kathryn Keane Rachel Bronstein Chloe Altman

Staff Advisors Miss Rossington Mr James-Robbins

Contents / Editorial

Sport

Habs Life

Features

Sports Captains

2010 Leavers’ Destinations

New Sixth Form Area

Sports Achievements

Prizes: A-Level / GCSE

Art vs. Science

Athletics / Cricket

Successes

Journey of a Habs Girl

Leaving Staff

Ideal Habs Girl

Rounders / Netball / Tennis 46

Synchonised Swimming

Mrs Radice

Longest & Newest

Dance

New Staff

Design & Technology

Lacrosse

Trampolining

Habs 6 Sports Festival 49 Girls Go Gold 49

Dance Page 47

Out of this World Page 56

Science, Humanities or Clothes Pegs? Page 42

Editorial Welcome to the 2011 edition of The Greenhouse, and what a year it has been! Coordinating the magazine has been an adventure from the very start, and could have never happened without the dedication, enthusiasm and (debatable!) punctuality of our fantastic team. To everyone who submitted articles, was harassed for interviews, sourced photos, to our fantastic section heads and most importantly both Mr James Robbins and Miss Rossington who have been both calming and supportive influences, we thank you for the time and effort you have contributed. In many ways, this academic year has been tainted with a sense of endings. As we enter the Upper Sixth and stand cautiously at the top of the school, we can see how much the shape of Habs as we first knew it has changed. Many of these developments have been exciting and welcomed; we can’t

remember life without the new sixth form common room and study area (find out more in features!) and have been delighted to meet new teachers including a new Head of Sixth Form. And yet the changes of which we are much more aware are the sad departures of not only many loved members of staff, such as Alan and Mrs Tee, and Dr Short, but also of Mrs Radice, our headmistress. Neither this short editorial nor her acknowledgment in The Greenhouse could ever pay tribute to the ways she is loved and will be sorely missed. Having joined the school in 2005, the same year as us, she has shaped our journey at Habs and we really can’t imagine school life without her. However, regardless of changing faces and new developments, there are certain traditions that make Habs, Habs. Whether you eyes well up when singing the school Carmen or you’ve spent many a lunch time over-feeding the school cat, no Habs

girl can forget her greenie days. It is quite astounding the numbers of things we girls are involved in, from arts, to sports to charity work – there simply isn’t a dull moment. The willingness of both staff and student to join in and get involved is, in our view, one of the best features of the Habs bubble, and there are countless opportunities to do so. While editing at times has been stressful, it has also been an enlightening experience as to just how much goes on throughout school. While we may have both been persistent with emails and perhaps a little over-enthusiastic with filing systems, we hope that our hard work has paid off and that you enjoy reading a magazine we have thoroughly enjoyed putting it together. Welcome to The Greenhouse! Abigail Samuels & Emma Brand – L6AP

Feature / Science, Humanities or Clothes Pegs?

Science, Humanities or Clothes Pegs?

It is an age-old debate, a battle that has been fought over and over since time began – or at least since students everywhere were forced to choose one subject over another. What’s better: Arts and Humanities, or Science and Maths? In my quest for the ultimate answer to this most pertinent of questions, particularly for those of you who may be trying to make the difficult decision of which subjects to drop, either at GCSE or A-level, I was aware that I owed it to all of you to be as unbiased as possible. The first stage of this was deciding not to reveal my own preference (though feel free to try and guess!) The second was to assemble a small, core focus group which encompassed various combinations along the spectrum, so that we could really get to the heart of the matter. Oh the fun that was had; the intense discussion, the raising of voices, the talking over one another, the throwing

of chairs – okay, that last one may be a slight exaggeration. Still, there is no doubt that this is a debate that everyone can find an opinion on, if they have the time and the inclination. So let’s get down to business. The first thing to consider, especially if you’re a Habs girl, is the workload. Unfortunately, I cannot actually say that one subject is more work than another – that will depend on the year, the course, and what you’re actually good at. However, there is a discernable difference in the way that the lessons are taught, and in the homework you get. For example, the scientific subjects tend to have much shorter homeworks – ones that can often be completed in a single night. The flipside

Feature / Science, Humanities or Clothes Pegs?

The humanities argue that their subjects are mostly discussion based, where you can feed off one another’s ideas and experiences, never quite knowing where you will be taken.

of this is that you may only be given a night to complete them, and they will be set once or twice a week. If you like short deadlines, or feel this will force you to keep on top of things, then this could be a positive. If you feel that it will overwhelm you, particularly since you may find that you could have several subjects all in for the next day, then perhaps you’d rather try some essay writing instead. With essay subjects, there is much more freedom in some ways. Deadlines can be two or three weeks in the future – but of course, the piece of work itself can be much more substantial. Therefore, if you enjoy working through things solidly, and building up to an excellent piece of work, then this will give you the time to explore your inner perfectionist. Another advantage is that, while it is true that scientists may find themselves with days where they have no work, an essayist will have more freedom to choose which days they have a break, perhaps organising this around extra-curricular activities. Eventually, however, deadlines will roll round – and if you’re the sort of person to leave things to the last minute, you may find yourself with 2000 words to write for the next day. While I cannot condone this sort of behaviour at all, ever, I am led to believe that it does happen – though of course this may be just a horrific urban myth invented to chill the blood of teachers and students alike. Even so, if you do let the work pile up, it can be quite difficult to get out of a rut. Much of this is academic, since people tend to work better at subjects they like, and may even find themselves adjusting their styles of working accordingly – but what about the lessons themselves, and the wider implications of the subjects? The humanities argue that their subjects are mostly discussion based, where you can feed off one another’s ideas and experiences, never quite knowing where you will be taken. While this is certainly true for English and Philosophy, to name but two, biologists will counter that they too have to analyse sociological effects – for example, vegetarianism, and apparently discussion can become quite heated, even if it is more controlled. As for having to learn facts, is there really that much difference between learning by rote the functions of the spleen, or the historical dates of when it was discovered? It all boils down to your area of interest – whatever your subject, you’re still going to be desperately reciting facts and figures of some sort the night before the exam. On the other hand, the humanities do give you a certain freedom to explore that which is lacking in the more scientific subjects. Yes, there is still much to be discovered about the world, but you’re not going to be discovering it in school – you’ll be too busy learning what

is already known, and unlearning whatever they told you the year before to make it simpler, but which is actually, technically, wrong. Contrastingly, particularly in subjects like English, you have the opportunity to come up with an idea that no one else has written down and know that, even if just in the phrasing of it, it will be inherently unique. The phrase ‘there is no wrong answer’ is often bandied about, (though some may feel the ‘B’ they have just received belies this), but while for some this represents freedom and discovery, for others it will chill the blood, if they prefer the comforting boundaries of what is known. They say Picasso had to learn to paint normally before he could break the rules, and that’s why his work was so revolutionary. (Okay. Technically they wouldn’t say that. Art students would say that. But the point still stands).

The phrase ‘there is no wrong answer’ is often bandied about, though some may feel the ‘B’ they have just received belies this. Shrewd as you all are, you may have realised by now that I am not, after all, going to be settling this debate in this article – but if you search your hearts and your consciences, you’ll realise that you aren’t disappointed. You didn’t really want me to come to a decision – at least, not unless it fell in line with your own particular view. Even then, you would’ve lost the fun that comes with arguing your point with someone, knowing that neither of you are going to change your minds. Supposing I had managed to prove, beyond a doubt, that the best subject to study in the whole entire world was the History of the Invention of the Clothes Peg. What would happen to all the people who don’t like History? Or clothes pegs? There can never be a united opinion – but that doesn’t mean you should stop putting yours forward as emphatically, and loudly, as you can. You may find that some of the arguments speak to you. You may even find (gasp! shock, horror!), that you’d actually like to do a combination of subjects, from both camps. For the most part, you should find that doing something you enjoy will take you a lot further than something you feel obliged to do – although, if you want to be a doctor, then maybe don’t choose History of Medicine over Biology. If only for the sake of your patients. Hannah Marcus – L6AP

Creative / Art

Vivien Moseley L6MC

Gabi Bernstein L6

Matita Afoakwa L6SA

Creative / Arting About

Arting About The Top Three Art Galleries in the World The shrinking world has made it quite possible for someone to see all the world’s great art galleries... New York’s ‘Met’

The Louvre’s ‘pyramid’ entrance

The Met New York City, USA The Metropolitan Museum of Art, otherwise known as ‘The Met’ (which you may have heard of from Friends), is one of the largest art galleries in the world. Located in busy New York City, it attracts thousands of visitors per day and is extremely popular among tourists. “It’s amazing!” says Rachel Berkowitz, “I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is going to New York.”

Tate Modern London, England Finally, something situated a bit closer to home, Tate Modern. This modern gallery, located in the heart of London, is ranked third globally for its number of visitors; in 2010 alone it attracted over 5 million people. An exhibition definitely worth seeing is ‘Gerhard Richter: Panorama’ which is from 6 October 2011 – 8 January 2012. The exhibition displays portraits based on photographs such as the famous Betty 1988. A definite must-see! Chloe Abrahams – L6NP ...but the expense may prove prohibitive – after all, if you’re flying from the Prado in Spain to the Hermitage in Russia to the Uffizi in Italy, trying to take in the many great galleries in North America or travelling even further afield, it all adds up. So which galleries should be your top priority? Chloe Abrahams in the Lower Sixth offers a guide:

Musée du Louvre Paris, France Located right in the centre of France’s capital, the Musée du Louvre is by far the most

visited art gallery in the world, with its eight collections ranging from the art of Ancient Egypt and classical Greece, all the way to nineteenth century paintings. Its popularity is largely a result of its most famous artwork, the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, which attracts an incredible 15,000 visitors per day. The Louvre Palace was originally a fortress, which was built in the late twelfth century, before becoming a place to display the royal collection of artworks. After the French Revolution, it was decided it should be used as a museum to display the nation’s masterpieces. Next time you’re in France, be sure to visit the Louvre!

The Tate Modern

Creative / DT

They find the optimum material, method and machine to produce their complex, aesthetically pleasing object

Stavrini Mouktar A2

Anisha Panchal GCSE

Eisha Shah GCSE

Hannah James GCSE

Crystelle Pereira GCSE

Creative / DT / Machines

DT Machines The TOOLS OF THE TRADE The D.T. department has had many machines over the years, and has acquired quite a magnificent collection of both old and new machines. While teachers may come and go, the machines are the unsung heroes of the D.T. department. Therefore, we believe that the time has

come to write a feature on just a few of the machines that enable girls to achieve such fabulous, innovative pieces of work. We carried out a (subjective) test to find the best machine in the department, with marks out of 50 for each criteria. Alaina Dudhia – L6NP

The Pillar Drill POPULARITY USEFULNESS ACCESSIBILITY APPEARANCE VARIETY OF MATERIALS POTENTIAL HAZARD

40 39 42 31 48 28

The pillar drill does exactly what it says on the tin: it allows girls to drill holes into any material. This is especially necessary when using dowel joints in a product, which is a good way of holding different pieces of wood together. However, watch out since this machine can potentially cause wood to splinter!

The Milling Machine POPULARITY USEFULNESS ACCESSIBILITY APPEARANCE VARIETY OF MATERIALS POTENTIAL HAZARD

49 49 50 22 47 12

The Milling machine enables girls to easily cut specific shapes into materials using a digital readout to ensure complete accuracy. To do so, they input exactly what they want into the display (for example, using coordinates to plot where holes should be). No wonder there’s always a queue to use it!

The Jigsaw POPULARITY USEFULNESS ACCESSIBILITY APPEARANCE VARIETY OF MATERIALS POTENTIAL HAZARD

Jigsaws are the most common machines, but you either love them or hate them. Some may consider their nickname, ‘The Devil’s Machines’, as apt for these red machines which can cut evenly through almost anything. However, the saw can break quite easily if the wood isn’t clamped down firmly, so be careful!

The Linisher POPULARITY USEFULNESS ACCESSIBILITY APPEARANCE VARIETY OF MATERIALS POTENTIAL HAZARD

47 42 45 34 30 17

The Linisher has been in the department for a very long time and is considered one of the favourites of the girls. It is used to sand pieces of wood down to make smooth

26 48 43 38 47 41

edges which are much more easy and practical to use. However, it should only be used for sanding wood – any plastic will cause it to blow up!

Mr Paul Trezona POPULARITY USEFULNESS ACCESSIBILITY APPEARANCE VARIETY OF MATERIALS POTENTIAL HAZARD

50 50 44 21 49 n/a

Mr Trezona, the new DT technician, is exceptionally helpful and popular, since he can work with any material as long as you give him a signed cutting list before the deadline. He is often covered in dust or swarf. His potential to cause hazard has not yet been measured but he does make a very nice cup of tea.

Trips / Osmington Bay Overall Experience by Anandita Ketkar The purpose of the trip was to get to know each other, as most of us were new to the school. Consequently we participated in as many group activities as we could. These included aeroball, orienteering, dragon-boat racing and rock-climbing. Before we knew it, three thrilling days had come to an end and the coach was full of laughter and chatter from people we had got to know so well, who would not have been without this memorable experience. Personal Achievements by Tannaz Zafarani I was scared of abseiling as I had never tried it before. It was nerve-wracking to hear your fellow classmates’ screams and yells. When it was my go, I was shaking as I climbed up the long ladder and glanced down one last time. Bad move! I slowly and cautiously walked backwards. ’Hey!’ I thought, ‘this isn’t as bad as I thought it would be!’ When I got to the bottom I felt proud and comforted by the encouraging congratulations of my classmates.

Team Work

Building Bonds at Osmington Bay Osmington Bay is on the south coast of England near the town of Weymouth. It is a PGL centre, which offers activities to encourage, inspire and allow students to cement friendships that will last throughout their time at Habs.

Support whatever the situation

The aim of the trip was to allow the Lower 4s to create friendships and also to establish a relationship between teachers and pupils whilst conquering their fears. The trip was a complete success. – Mr Greatorex

New Friends

Skills and friendships By Annita Ramanen From the beach walk to the zip wire, everything was memorable. The sooner we knew each other, the sooner we started to have an amazing time. Team work and communication were all important, especially during the Dragon-Boat racing. We supported each other the whole way through, from homesickness to being scared to descending from the top of the abseiling board. The teachers were always there to help us just in case of any problems. Highlights Students The campfire along with a quiz night the next day Mr Greatorex Mr Turner’s leadership skills. What a legend!

Trips / Geography: Pembrokeshire

Field trip uniforms on – and a matching bus!

Mud and Wellies If water, mud and wellies are what spring to mind when the words ‘geography field trip’ are said, then that is reasonable enough. You’d be right in a way – we geographers love a good bit of mud – but there was much more to it than that on our residential trip to Pembrokeshire in the Easter holidays. As was emphasised, this was a study trip and so our brains and walking feet were put to the test for five days – beginning with the task of gathering sixteen girls, sixteen tickets and and thirty two cases onto the train at Paddington. The teaching was partly based in the centre’s classrooms but mostly hands-on as we explored the coasts and rivers of Pembrokeshire, putting our theoretical knowledge into practice and analysing the landforms for ourselves. This began on our first day along the coastline spreading between two seaside towns, Saundersfoot and Amroth. We focused on the human protection of the coast and the nature of the

beach material whilst soaking up the sporadic strokes of sun and piling in, rucksack-andcalliper-armed, into the small village icecream shop. On getting back to the centre we went over the day’s collection of work with the tutor, evaluating and presenting the data to come to some conclusions about the nature of the coast. Clad in oversized yellow plastic macs, clinometers and ranging poles in hand, and wearing wellies as permeable as the limestone we were studying, we set off on our second day along the moors of the Preseli Hills. This time we were investigating the qualities of the river- its velocity, channel shape and bedload variation- using skills such as stratified sampling and lots of other impressive sounding geographical terms. The weather was perfectly fitting to the scenery; drizzle, fog and gale-force

winds amongst the vast moor lands created a Brontë-like eeriness that we observed in dismay through the windows of our gloriously matching yellow bus. Nonetheless, once we were unloaded from the bus and had regained balance against the winds (gale force, might I add?), we set out to bring that unique Habs keenness and sunny brightness to the moors. Literally. Once we had located the Afon Syfynwy River we measured, measured, measured to collect all the data necessary to prove or disprove

Clad in oversized yellow plastic macs, clinometers and ranging poles in hand, and wearing wellies as permeable as the limestone we were studying, we set off on our second day along the moors of the Preseli Hills. our hypotheses. River depth, height, width, cross-section, area, velocity, slope, bedload – you name it, we measured it. It may not sound like it but having the chance to do this practical work and apply knowledge to real landforms is exciting for any geographer and we discovered some interesting things about the river that went completely against our expectations. It was a rewarding day and, for the first and possibly only time in our lives, we were grateful for the attractive fisherman outfits that fulfilled their duty of wind and rain barriers throughout the work. After an exhausting but fun day along four points of the river, it was back to the centre once more to tea and cakes... But obviously MOST importantly to review, present and evaluate the collected data.

Using a dumpy level to measure river gradient