Dragon Autumn 2016 by FSE Design

St. George’s Catholic School ‘Inspired by Gospel Values to Learn, Achieve and Excel’ Autumn

Christmas Edition 2016

Dear Parent/Carer On 8th December, we commemorated the anniversary of Philip Lawrence’s death. Philip, the ex Headteacher of St George’s, was a learned man who had studied English at Cambridge University. He was passionate about education and came to St George’s determined to make a difference and improve the life chances for the children of this school. Sadly, he lost his life in tragic circumstances, coming to the aid of a pupil who had been attacked by a local gang, outside the school gates. We are proud each year to mark his contribution to the school and cherish his memory. All schools are coping with yet another revolution in education. The government has introduced new performance measures at Key Stage 4 (including most importantly Progress 8). GCSE syllabuses have changed and pupils will be graded 9 at the highest level down to 1. Indications are that examinations will become more challenging and this includes ‘A’ level with the majority of examinations being synoptic at the end of Year 13. We are focussed on pushing up our Progress 8 score which measures how much value we are able to add, taking into account prior attainment data. To achieve a high score we must ensure pupils are following a traditional curriculum. We are encouraging students to take a modern foreign language, if they have the ability and aptitude. Completing homework diligently, reading widely and developing good study and learning habits are essential if we are going to continue to excel in these changed circumstances. We rely on our parents to support us and to ensure that children are completing all work to the best of their ability. I am delighted that Mr Dadswell has become our full time Chaplain in the school. In November we held a ceremony to mark the closing of Pope Francis’s Jubilee Year of Mercy. ‘Two minutes for Jesus’ has taken place during Advent at 2.00pm and has provided an opportunity for our pupils to pray during the Advent Season. We have been supporting the Catholic Children’s Society, and on Friday 16 th December will hold a Christmas Jumper Day with donations to our chosen charity as well as a non-uniform day (donations of at least £1 per student) on the last day of term. The Christmas Fayre, organised by Ms Frost, raised over £2,800. In addition we held a very successful Senior Citizen’s Party, attended by over 90 local residents. Our Sixth Form goes from strength to strength and although we are very successful in sending pupils to high performing Russell Group universities, we have yet to send any student to Oxbridge. However, I am delighted that three of our Sixth Formers have been interviewed and we wait to see if any offers are forthcoming. Mr Gregory and Ms King are focussed on ensuring that our Sixth Form students take their studies extremely seriously and are putting in the hours of independent study that they need to achieve success in their courses. You will see in our end of term publication, The Dragon, some of the ways in which we are serving the common good. I hope it is also evident that there are many other contributory aspects to school life including trips, music and drama, sports programmes and clubs available to students to take part in. The Christmas holidays give everyone the chance to recharge their batteries, however our Sixth Form students will of course be revising hard for forthcoming mock examinations. Our younger students in Year 7 and 8 will be given a classic book to read in the holidays. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the teaching and non-teaching staff of St George’s and the leadership of Mr Martin and the senior team for their unremitting hard work. Can I remind you that school starts again on Monday 9th January 2017. I would like to thank parents for their continued support and take this opportunity to wish you all a happy and Holy Christmas. Yours sincerely Martin Tissot Executive Headteacher 2

OUR CONTRIBUTION TO CHARITY On Friday 30th September, the staffroom at St. George’s played host to a Macmillan Coffee Morning. A multitude of cakes and sweet treats were available for a suggested £2 donation. Staff were asked to “bake it or fake it” in aid of Macmillan and raised £215.83 for the charity.

Just wanted to say a huge thank you to all the staff who supported the Macmillan Coffee Morning. Your contributions and support were fantastic.

Upcoming Charity Events Join us….

There were two star baker badges awarded, Mr Smith for his epic Victoria sponge with all the trimmings and Sharon for the plethora of delicious cupcakes. I’m sure they will both wear their badges with pride. Congratulations and Many Thanks

On Sunday 5th February 2017 a few of us will be taking part in the Cancer Research Winter Run, a 10K run/walk/meander through central London.

Starting off in Trafalgar Square the route goes past landmarks such as Somerset House, Guildhall Yard and St Paul’s Cathedral before turning onto Whitehall in front of Horse Guards Arch and across the finish line to pick up a well-deserved medal – and for those who wish it, a Polar Bear hug!

Raising Money for Teenage Cancer Trust I decided to take on two challenges to raise money for the amazing charity, Teenage Cancer Trust. The first challenge I took part in was the Swim Serpentine Event on the 24th September, 2016. This challenge required me to swim a mile in the serpentine in Hyde Park. I managed to complete the swim in forty-one minutes. The second challenge that I completed was the Cardiff Half Marathon, which took place on the following weekend 1st October, 2016. I completed the half marathon in two hours and seventeen minutes. Overall I managed to raise £200 for the charity. Ms Greensmith

What goes up….. must come down?! In what can only be described as an act of total insanity, early in October, I took part in The Big Skydive , 2016 to raise money for the NSPCC. I hate flying and am more than a little scared of heights but what could possibly go wrong when freefalling at over 120mph from 10,000 feet? As it turns out, absolutely nothing. The skydive went off without a hitch. After waiting nervously on the ground for what seemed like an eternity, I climbed into the aeroplane for the fifteen minute flight up to our jump height. Actually, “aeroplane” is a slight exaggeration. It was more like a tin can with propellers. Whether I was pushed or jumped of my own volition is still debatable. (Apparently “No” sounds an awful lot like “GO!” at 10,000 feet.) One minute of freefalling, complete with appropriate screams and four minutes of soaring through the air under the parachute canopy and both my feet were back on solid ground. It was an unforgettable experience which raised £620 for the NSPCC. So, all in all, it was definitely worth it. Whether it’s repeated anytime soon….

Voluntary work in Senegal Divine Mabika 2013 Leaver Leaving St George's, attending university and graduating with a degree in Media and Communications I found my passion in volunteering. This started when I had done a Media and Journalism internship in Tanzania but at the same time had worked in the orphanage and was teaching English; this is where I found my passion and started. I started volunteering once a week with an autistic child which was great as he grew in confidence. I have also been a Fundraiser for various charities where the money has gone to help those who have been rescued from being trafficked as well as helping youths who are homeless. I am now in Senegal for three months and our project is on health and sanitation and how to make the community more self-sufficient with eight weeks completed and four weeks to go, I have loved every minute of it so far. There have been difficult moments as in life there are always difficult moments but with the support of my team we could get past anything. This experience so far has been great, I have met so many new people, I have learnt so much about myself and the culture of African people, in particular Senegalese people. This experience has shown me how much I love to volunteer and how I love to help people as well as the community. Not only that but it has enhanced my desire to help my own community when I get back. We have attended many talks concerning the major health issues such as malaria, STIs and the vaccination programme and all these help to raise awareness and make people aware of how to keep safe and well. The first two days we went to a school in the area to do a clean-up just before the kids returned to school. It felt great just doing the clean-up, because the kids appreciated it so much as it gave them some room to learn and to be kids. When I think of charity work, I physically like doing the work myself because I am giving back and I am helping and it gives me such an uplifting feeling seeing those smiles on their faces. In the eight weeks we have done so much; building shelters and giving talks as well as meeting with the Governor of Kaolack the Mayor and the Youth Council. This experience is more than just helping. It is has allowed me to grow as a person, learning and sharing and exchanging cultures. What I have come up to realise is that communities are willing to work with you and make a change. We are a group of fourteen volunteers the whole community gets involved and we all become part of that change. The ICS programme is aimed at those who are 18-25 and it is a life changing experience. Here in Senegal everyone is welcoming and loves to help and feed you which is all part of the experience of growing and learning and if you feel that you don't know what to do yet and you are 18 I advise that you take part because you will learn so much and it's a great way to find yourself out there and build on your experience. Here in Senegal where we work at the YMCA, it's about giving your time talent and treasure. So as you take something you will also leave a bit of yourself which people will cherish.

Trips

A 'Level Drama

Trip to the Globe to see Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

On November the 7th, students from year 9, 10 and 11 got the opportunity to travel to the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane, to see the fantastic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Based on the original book by Roald Dahl, with music by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, and directed by Sam Mendes (Assassins, American Beauty, Skyfall), it was a wonderful opportunity for students to see first-hand the work of current, professional theatre practitioners and performers. With an astounding array of technical feats, it’s no wonder ‘Charlie’ was hailed as a “sumptuous visual feast” by ‘The Stage’, and it was a treat to see the magic that live theatre has to offer. As part of their GCSE drama course, the students now have to prepare to write a theatrical review, and a show of such calibre puts them in good stead to achieve their potential, alongside inspiring them to explore the vivid worlds they can create onstage. Mr Tweddle

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY TRIP

On the first day, we were openly welcomed by a British Land representative, Alan Bunting, funder of British Land, who gave us a tour of the site, Sheldon Square and Kingdom Street, and introduced us to the ethos of British Land, which is Places, People, Prefer. Through the development in Paddington, they aim to redefine Paddington, not only as a transport hub, but also as a destination. This key idea revolved around our project until the last day of the workshop. “This was a completely new experience for me, at first I thought that constructing a building was simple, however after Alan, the British land funder, took us around and spoke about the construction, my eyes were opened to the real world. I was amazed by all the work that has to be put into a construction in order for it to be successful.”

We were then introduced to different professionals who embody the construction industry, ranging from quantity surveyors, mechanical and electrical engineers, structural engineers, construction managers, and architects from different companies. We were given the opportunity to interview these professionals and extract as much information as we could that might be beneficial for us. “I took the chance to speak to them about how they got into this career and what qualifications we need to have or pathway we need to take”. They emphasised how teamwork and, at the same time, independence are much needed skills to reach the position that they are in now. Additionally, they stressed: “Experience in a workplace is very important not only for your CV , but also for your learning stages in life”. They told us how they branched out to different options such as contacting construction companies for a work experience placement alongside their education. “ I was also given the chance to ask a question which gave me a greater knowledge about careers in industry based around design.” “A lifetime opportunity to interview a group of engineers who work for the construction site. I was able to find out the grades you need to get into a certain career.” Gavin Williams, the head construction manager, started working on his loft at the age of 14. Ross Wilkinson, mechanical and structural engineer, didn’t have any A levels, but instead had work experiences, apprenticeships, and got into construction through a scheme. On the other hand, Alex Groot, structural engineer, had his qualifications from Cambridge University. This shows the different pathways which led them to their positions. However, they still emphasised how qualifications are vital yet reminded us that experience pushes us further in the industry. 7

“What I liked about this day is that I was able to gain more confidence in speaking to people with a profession as well as being able to gather information from them about careers.” The remaining hours of the day were spent fitting on high visibility vests, helmets, gloves, glasses, and boots: 5 PPE, in the jargon of construction. We then toured the construction site at 4 Kingdom Street with Uwe Switala, a member of M3 Consulting. He explained the construction process of the building, ranging from the materials to the logistics. He told us how materials are measured in packages, and also how ventilation and other utilities work above the ceiling. He also showed us two gigantic water tanks to be used in the building. We then went back to the offices under the makeshift podium to return our 5 PPE and conclude the day. “What I liked about the day is that I was able to gain an insight on what work is like in this industry and gained knowledge of the steps I would need to take in order to get certain jobs.” The second day started off when we arrived at Imperial College’s Skempton Building in South Kensington, London. The building has its very own Design and Engineering Department: A huge block of space dedicated to huge machinery about three stories high. This initially gave us a real feel of the industry. Daevon greeted us with a warm welcome then we cracked on with the first activity. St George’s was mixed with City of Westminster College and QK and then separated into four groups. “I can say working with strangers is a challenge. You don’t know any of their strengths and weaknesses.” After some initial shyness between students from the three schools, eventually everyone opened up and this resulted in good ideas flooding the table. “At first I was nervous because I wasn’t confident enough to speak in front of everyone.”

The task included designing 5 Kingdom Street, the neighbouring building to 4 Kingdom Street. We had to think about designing a structure that would harmonize with West Way, the neighbouring buildings, National Railway tracks, and the geography of the place. These elements were hurdles but we got our way around them and eventually agreed on a building that was sustainable and well thought out.

“This task helped me mix with other people out of my school and it helped me build my confidence.” The next challenge came when we had to make a prototype of our design. The activity resembled the reality of industry, since we needed to buy our materials and had a strict budget. We had to make the design become a possibility yet factors such as budget and structure became apparent hurdles. However, something good came out of this. It made the team better when different ideas started to flow. Ideas to make the building stand and at the same time reflect the initial drawing came out of the group. Everyone in the group started talking and at the same time making compromises in order for our building to become a possibility. In the end, we managed to create our towers.

“It showed me how a group of different students with different talents and different type of confidence come together to present something. It also gave me a taste of the real world.” On our last day we got suited and booted. We started off again in Imperial College with our separate groups. The aim for the day was to deliver a concise, well thought out and fluid speech. We had to gain the interest of the panel which consisted of high ranking professionals from companies such as British Land and M3 consulting. We had to give it our best shot since the pitch itself didn’t only reflect what we had been working hard at over the last two days, but it was also a showcase of our teamwork and our skill to speak in public. Each group’s presentation was stressful, yet they went very well. Everyone gave their best shot and acted professionally. Group 1’s hard work, driven by Carl and Claudio, was rewarded when they won the pitch. However this wasn’t the grand prize. The greatest reward we could achieve from that workshop was getting a work experience offer and the only way to achieve that was through a job interview.

“I had interviews before but being interviewed by a professional which is clearly more experienced than you gave me the chills” We could feel the adrenaline rushing through our veins. However, we realized that these people that would bombard us with questions were humans too. Eventually, the interview process felt like it was you and another person having coffee together. It was calm yet it pulled out what was inside of you. The questions made you think and at the same time allowed you to give yourself a chance to show off. This should not be taken lightly as it was a competition with others as well. As someone who has experienced an interview, I now realized that posture and eye contact are not the only things that are important: you must also be true to yourself. “It felt like an actual job interview in the real world especially because I was talking to a professional in the Industry”. We concluded the day after the interview. Everyone felt the relief and that the interview had been a breeze. “Personally, I never knew I could learn and experience so much in a span of three days. The whole workshop was a learning experience. It made me think of what lies ahead of me and the necessary steps that I have to take to reach the place that I aspire to be in the future.” “I got to meet amazing, talented people. I was able to see the real world and decide if I really want to get into the construction industry and believe me, I am now more interested in construction”.

“Furthermore, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience on the construction youth project and I think it has highly benefitted both my knowledge and interest on the construction industry”. Now, being back in school, we wait patiently for that red dot on our email, hoping that we got ourselves the work experience. Fingers crossed.

The whole AS Product Design and AS Physics students would like to thank Ms. Vadgama and Ms. Barnes for making this trip possible. Without them, we wouldn’t have had gained such immense knowledge abut the construction industry nor have experienced such an amazing trip. 9

ROME TRIP We have successfully completed our second annual joint pilgrimage trip to Rome with forty pupils from St. George’s, Bishop Douglass and St. Thomas More. Pupils have described it as an eye opening and very informative experience and were fascinated by the historical and religious significance of Rome. On the first day we had the opportunity to be present for the Papal audience with over thirty thousand pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square. The time spent at the Vatican was memorable, demonstrating that the pupils fascination and understanding of art, sculpture and mosaic had widened significantly. On the second day, we had the chance of visiting one of the world’s ancient monuments, ‘the Colosseum’. We had a tour guide who took us to different parts of the Colosseum and explained its purpose and its reputation as a sacred spot where Christian martyrs had met their fate, and also how it got dilapidated over the centuries due to neglect. We then had a walking tour of the Roman Forums and our knowledge of Roman History and various emperors’ work was further developed. On the third day, we toured the city to see the fascinating fountains and Churches. Ms Henry and Mr Narisetti explained the importance of amazing places such as St. Ignatius Loyola’s Church, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and so on. One of the most amazing experiences was attending the ‘Time Elevator’. It was a 5D experience of a journey through time. Pupils had the opportunity to see two shows: ‘The History Rome’ and ‘The Beginnings of the Universe’. Both these shows were highly appreciated and thoroughly enjoyed by all. On the fourth day, the weather started to cool down and at last we felt that our prayers had been answered. We thought of spending the time in the park so that pupils could involve themselves in various fun activities taking place. Some children instantly chose to ride the Segway, some went on a bike ride, whereas others took the opportunity to play some games.

Pupils had the opportunity to go to different restaurants and some of them were well known. Pupils were eager to try out local delicacies and taste different types of food each day: lasagne, pasta, pizza and spaghetti were the favourites. Our evening strolls to buy different ‘Gelato’ enabled us to sample different flavours of Italian ice creams. This trip has been a great learning experience. Many of the students were away from their families for the very first time and had to be responsible for going to bed early enough in order to be ready for the demands of the next day. Quite importantly, they had the added pressure of budgeting their pocket money for the week so that they always had enough for lunch, after spending on souvenirs and other gifts. Pupils also improved their bargaining skills with street vendors and definitely learned how to travel safely and, at the same time, enjoy the company of each other. Mr Narisetti Head of RE

ROME TRIP…….. Naolay Mesh Year 8 We set off for Rome on Tuesday 13th of September 2016. We took a coach early in the morning and then a plane to Rome. From Rome’s airport we took another coach arriving at our hotel called Hotel Noto. The hotel was close to a Roman bath. We split into groups of 3-4 for each room. I visited a lot of places in Rome. We went to the Colosseum. It was huge. We saw what was underneath the battle grounds where gladiators fought. The Colosseum could hold about 50,000 spectators. It had 80 entrances. The only down side about the experience of the Colosseum was it was raining. The other places we went to were the Pantheon, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, House of Augustus, Largo di Torre Argentina, Vatican Museum and the Vatican. I even got a sneaky picture of Pope Francis.

But the most amazing place that I visited was the Altare della Patria. Even though we didn’t go inside, outside it looked really beautiful and it was very big. I have never seen such a building.

Before I went to Rome, I was advised to bring at least 100 Euros. I planed ahead by calculating approximately how much I would need for food, travel and other expenses every day. As I have travelled a lot, I was aware of passport requirements, luggage and the different currency. Overall I think the trip was very good. As I explored more of Rome’s sights, the more I understood Rome. At the beginning I was excited to see Rome but nervous. After Rome , I felt thrilled that I had the opportunity to go there . Finally, I recommend everyone to go to Rome because it is a wonderful place. Naolay Mesh Year 8

In February 2017, 38 students from Years 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 13 will be travelling to Sansicario, Italy, for our annual ski trip. In early December, in preparation for the trip, we visited the snow centre in Hemel Hempstead. Each student received a two hour ski lesson with a qualified ski instructor. All our skiers developed their skills, whether it was working out how to turn and stop or to exercise parallel turns, backwards skiing, and high performance drills. All the students were exceptional and did not let any minor tumbles or crashes faze them. It augurs well for the ski trip in February which should be a fantastic experience.

If any students are interested in joining us for the ski trip in 2018, please contact Ms Savage for further information. 13

Sixth Form visit to Auschwitz Every year the Holocaust Educational Trust provides a programme of study for two students from sixth forms or colleges. This programme includes two seminars and a trip to Auschwitz. The students then act as ambassadors and must try to spread the message of the programme to the school community. Both Unique and Aqil will be involved with plans for Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27th 2017. Visit to Auschwitz I and Auschwitz-Birkenau

On the 13th October 2016, we were given the opportunity to travel to Auschwitz – a concentration camp notorious for the murders of over one million people during the Holocaust. Prior to visiting, we had imagined what it would be like, but our imagination did it no justice. The first thing we noticed was the cold, and were informed that temperatures could reach below -30c. We instantly wondered how human beings could survive being forced to work in such extreme temperatures – and then realised this was just another way to make the Jews suffer before death. Seeing row upon row of housing, built with the one intention of imprisoning innocent human beings, and slowly working them to death, truly highlighted the extent to which these people had suffered. Most striking were the personal belongings left behind: suitcases, shoes, clothing – just the cherished belongings of ordinary people, now framed in what was a museum, serving as a reminder of their horrific fate. We were reminded that the six million people who had died were all individuals, many with no knowledge of what was to befall them.

What was most shocking perhaps, was the systematic and organised method the Nazis had installed Auschwitz which allowed them to kill larger amounts of people in quicker and more efficient ways. The way in which they organised transport systems as if the Jewish and other minorities were cattle; the creation of deadly gasses which would kill people faster; the increased expansion of the camps to hold more people – all with the one horrific intention to kill at an increased rate. It is truly incomprehensible to realise that the Jews were despised so much, that thousands of people, not just the Nazis, worked together in order to achieve the systematic annihilation of a race of innocent people.

The memorial ceremony held at the end of the night was what affected us the most. We realised that those six million human beings had been murdered because they were different. But everyone is different. And an attack on difference, is essentially an attack of humanity itself. The fact that it wasn’t just the Nazis who helped, but

ordinary bystanders, whether by detachedly assisting in the transport or finding Jews in their neighbourhoods or by doing nothing, shows that when people stand idly by they are still complicit in a genocidal act of terror. And so, it is the duty of all humanity to stand against oppression and injustice. For if we do nothing; we are still aiding oppression and suffering today.

By Unique Clarke and Aqil Shamshudin

For Black History Month we went on a walking tour of local black history landmarks. We learnt how people such as Amy Garvey and Frank Crichlow were important figures in the black history of Notting hill. Mr Mackay took us to famous spots such as the Mangrove Restaurant and the location where the 1958 Notting Hill Riots started. My favourite part was learning about the Mangrove Restaurant, which was set up to be a safe place for black people to socialise and talk, but in 1970-it had been raided several times for no good reason, except the assumption that black people must be criminals. They then had a protest and some people were arrested despite being peaceful. They became known as the Mangrove Nine in 1971 and they won their appeal, with the judge admitting the police had acted in a racist manner. Overall, it was interesting to learn about so much history close to where I live that I didn’t know about. Pharrell Miller-Dunne 8C Last summer term a group of Year 9s, 10s and 11s went on a 3 night residential trip to Krakow. Here are the reflections of Carl Higgins who is now in 12A: “What to say about Poland? Let me just say, the contrast between expectations and reality was great. In the beginning, my initial thoughts were not great, as we arrived on a cold wet night. However, what met me was shocking. The city centre of Krakow was teeming with life and the influence of Polish culture was apparent. We were staying on the outskirts of Krakow, in the Wilga Hotel, alongside a river. We all stayed in dorms with three people in each, which brought with it many funny moments. The main part of our schedule in Poland involved going to places involved in the events which were part of our GCSE History syllabus: Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp and the Jewish Quarter. Both places were intriguing and emotionally compelling to say the least, yet I saw it as a learning curve. It was staggering to see the history we had been studying in real life. The places we visited brought everything we had previously learnt into perspective, but also introduced us to a new culture, which was bustling with excitement. Overall, my time in Krakow was great, and I would highly recommend the trip if the opportunity arises!”

Here are the reflections of Jacob Untalan who is also now in 12A: History Trip to Krakow, Poland? Where do I start? The first day of the trip, we were scheduled to have a guided tour around the UNESCO World Heritage site, Auschwitz Concentration camp. The Auschwitz Concentration camp site truly reinforced the image our education has taught us, especially seeing it at first glance from the coach. The day was dark, gloomy and drizzling with rain, which deepened the aura of sadness. The fact that we were limited in the use of our phones just shows that the sanctity of the site must be given utter respect and attention. The part of the tour that struck me the most was when the story of when people were delivered to the camps to be exterminated in the gas chambers. The Polish political prisoners, Jews, women and even children were cramped in a room and were told have showers upon their arrival, but then they were slowly killed by the chemicals that they were being exposed to coming from the shower heads. This concept was truly horrible and gave me more of an insight of the gravity of the crime the Nazis perpetrated in their pursuit for power and superiority. Overall, the trip was both educational and fun. I have gained a more profound insight into the difficulty of life during the war and the suffering of the Jews. It also got me to think how lucky I am to have been born in this day and age. The tours around Auschwitz, the Wieliczka Salt mines, Schindler’s factory and the beautiful town of Krakow is a memory I will never forget. Hopefully, the school can set up another trip for the young ones to experience this as well.

On 2nd November the Art Department was invited to The National Portrait Gallery to take part in a one day workshop based on Portraits. Yr9 and Yr12 students who are currently studying portraiture were given this opportunity which included visiting the current Exhibition, The Picasso Portraits. “I was surprised to see that Picasso could actually draw realistically.” Catherine Ibrahim Yr12 Picasso’s portraits epitomise the astonishing variety and innovation of his art. The exhibition includes over eighty works of art focusing on Picasso’s portrayal of family and friends. “It was interesting to see the different ways he painted his many wives, dependant on what they meant to him.” Alicia Costa Yr12 The trip and workshop was such a privilege, really fascinating. It was also a shock as I thought Picasso was just an abstract painter but he worked in lots of different styles.” The Art Department are very grateful to Goldman Sachs who are the sponsors of the exhibition and invited us to take part.

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The King’s College Maths Programme is an outstanding opportunity to enhance your maths skills and to expand your knowledge further. This extra curricular activity will also contribute to one’s CV as a bonus factor which universities will love to see, giving you an advantage over other students.

The King’s College enrichment scheme has improved my ability and understanding of a range of different topics. I have been taught many new ideas and method's to answer questions that you won’t find in the GCSE curriculum. The sessions have made me more prepared for doing maths at a greater level and they have challenged me as well. King’s College is a very sociable environment too, making the sessions challenging, but fun and interactive

PSHE PSHE education is defined by the schools inspectorate Ofsted as a planned programme to help children and young people develop fully as individuals and as members of families and social and economic communities.

What might be on your mind?

What is ‘emotional health’?

Feeling Suicidal

You are not alone…. Everyone experiences difficult feelings from time to time and often we don’t’ know what

GIVE YOURSELF STRENGTH

There a lots of things you can do to help yourself 

Make time for yourself, relax and do things you enjoy.

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Eat healthily, get plenty of sleep and exercise

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Talk about your problems with people you trust

Helping your friends If you’re worried about a friend, try to get them to talk to you. Often people want to talk, but wait until someone asks how they are Try asking open questions, like “what happened about….”, “Tell me about….”, “How do you feel about….”

If things are getting to you…..

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Talk to us

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We’ll keep it sage—we keep what you say between us

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We’re always here, round the clock, every single day of the year

The four main ways to get in touch Phone

Face to Face

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As the head of PSHE at St. George's Catholic School, I believe it is essential for students to gain a wealth of experience working with a range of professionals in order to gain a plethora of knowledge and skills. Recently I have been working with Mark Harris who is the head of 'Outreach' at the Samaritans charity. Mark has been running student assemblies based on mental health in order to give students a support network for life long learning" The students were educated to a wide-range of topics surrounding mental health, including strategies to manage changing of their feelings and an awareness of how to recognise them and who to turn to for help. The headteacher was also very impressed and commented on how well a wonderful rapport with the students and staff alike. I was amazed at how much impact Samaritans could have on the whole school. Even the teachers were asking if they could participate in Mark’s sessions. I am so grateful to Mark and his team for coming into our school and making such a huge difference to the lives of both students and our staff. I really hope he can continue to work with our school and better the lives of everyone here. Eternally grateful, Miss Taylor

ST GEORGE’S SCHOOL 60TH REUNION St. George’s was sixty years old in 2016 and during the year a number of events were held to celebrate this special anniversary. One such event to commemorate this was a reunion of those past pupils and teachers who attended the school in its first thirty years from 1956 to 1986. This was held at the school one sunny autumnal afternoon, on 24 September 2016. The reunion was in the main organised by former pupil, Joe Miller, and the school. Joe used the Social Media Facebook Group: “I Survived St. George’s” by way of a widespread means of advertising the event to get it seen by that group’s members and hoped it would also be passed on by word of mouth, by former school friends still in touch. The school’s current Head Boy and Girl, together with another prefect, very generously gave up their free Saturday afternoon and were on hand to take interested small groups on tours around the school and answer questions. This was greatly appreciated and proved to be a great success with those of us who attended more than fifty years ago. It was great fun and at times frustrating, trying to identify what former classrooms we sat in, what subjects we were taught, who were the teachers who taught us and of course the inevitable “Do you remember so and so”. The one (or should I say two) thing(s) that all of us all seem to remember of our time there, was the then Headmaster Gerard (“George”) Curran and his deputy head Iris (“Rosa Klebb”) Reeves, and not for the best of sentiments! Two former Teachers from the Fifties to mid Sixties, attended this event, both St. George’s, legends, Roddy Beare and David Relton. David was my head of house: St. Thomas More. Another former person who attended, who uniquely was both a pupil and teacher at the school, was Kevin O’Farrell . Other former pupils who attended were the afore mentioned Joe Miller, Gerry Samuel, son of the former metalwork teacher at the school, three brothers (Gerard, John and Bernard Timon), David Green and myself, Gordon Bryce. The school laid on refreshments in the main hall, which were a vast improvement on the school dinners from our days there, especially the wine! The event was planned as an open day from 2 - 8pm, and people arrived and left at leisure, but all in all, there must have been somewhere between fifty to a hundred people who attended this wonderful occasion. It was really good to renew and make some new friends on this special occasion, yet again St. George’s has made an impact on our lives. It made you feel you wanted to go back to this superb school again!

Gordon Bryce November 2016

’THE WAY THEY WERE’ ….. 1950’s 21

Chaplaincy News Dear Parents/Carers, Allow me to introduce myself as the School Chaplain since September of this year. Formerly, I have been Director of Spirituality and prior to that Head of the R.E. Department, in St George’s school, since 2006. My role is twofold: to encourage, plan and organise the Liturgical Life of the school in such a way as to engage pupils and staff in participating, celebrating, and praying in the rich tapestry of the Church’s Prayer Life. Secondly to energise and engage the school in the social work of the Church be enabling a variety of charities through our fund raising activities to support our wounded brothers and sisters in being self supporting and having the dignity to walk as equal citizens and fellow members of the human race. I am present in the school throughout the week and encourage the pupils to come and pray in our beautifully refurbished chapel. I work very closely with out two feeder parishes in Kilburn and St John’s Wood and they both celebrate Mass every Friday on a rota basis. During the year, every tutor group has the opportunity to spend a day on retreat, in Pinner at SPEC for the Senior School, and West Kilburn for the lower school with Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Youth Ministry. I also encourage guest speakers into our Assemblies and work closely with the Head of Years to encourage and deepen the commitment of pupils and staff in the Catholic Life of the School. You are welcome to come in and see me, as well as to attend our weekly Mass on Friday Mornings. Please don’t hesitate to phone and make an appointment if you wish to know anything more or for me to elaborate further. Best wishes Bernard Dadswell

Director of Spirituality

‘Lest we forget’ St George’s Catholic School Commemorating Remembrance Day

Duke of Edinburgh St George’s is pleased to say that the Duke of Edinburgh scheme is running again this year. The Duke of Edinburgh scheme was set up in 1956 to help develop young people for life and work. It helps to develop skills that are transferable in all aspects of a young person’s life, including communication, leadership and teamwork skills. At St George’s we offer the Bronze award for year 10 students and the Gold award for year 12 students The Bronze award comprises of four sections that each participant must complete. This includes three months of activities related to volunteering, the development of skills and physical challenges. Participants also have to complete a two day/one night expedition. The Gold award comprises of five sections that each participant must complete. This includes eighteen months of activities related to volunteering, the development of skills and physical challenges. They also have to complete a four day / three night expedition and a five day/ four night residential. This year we had a record number of applications for both the Bronze and Gold awards. We have thirty-four successful Bronze participants and thirty-one Gold participants. Training will take place throughout the year, preparing the students for the expedition in the summer term. This training will include navigation, camp craft, first aid and fitness. The Duke of Edinburgh team is looking forward to working with all participants. Ms Greensmith Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator

Girls of Aspiring Stars visit Women in Tech Conference On September 20th, I and many other girls from Year 8 and 9 went to the Women in Tech Conference held at The Royal Geographical Institute. I really enjoyed seeing so many successful women who had enjoyed successful careers in the technology industry. All the speakers who were there said they had come to

‘inspire’ us, and they certainly had. I really enjoyed meeting Priya Lakhani CEO of Century Tech, a company that designs cloud based software. During the day, we not only heard from these women, but were able to take part in a workshop, programming LEDs. Overall, I thought that the trip was interesting and inspirational.

Ella May-Faulds 9P

MUSIC Learn a Musical Instrument Long ago, Confucius said that “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without”. Learning to play a musical instrument has a wide range of benefits. It stimulates your brain and can increase your memory. It teaches you to be organised and develop your time management skills. It teaches you perseverance and enhances your co-ordination. It enhances your literacy and numeracy skills, through reading music. All the academic reasons aside, you should learn to play because it’s something YOU enjoy doing! Choose an instrument you like the sound of and start creating. Creating music is fun and exciting and you will have a skill many people wish they had.

St George’s offers instrumental lessons on the following instruments: Piano, singing, guitar (electric, acoustic and bass), trumpet, trombone, violin, violoncello, flute, clarinet, saxophone and drum kit. Students receive a minimum of 10 lessons per term. Each lesson is one-to-one with a dedicated instrument specialist. For more information please contact Ms Savage, Head of Music.

LPO Brightsparks GCSE Concert GCSE Music students in Year 9 & 10 visited the Royal Festival Hall in November to see the London Philharmonic Orchestra perform a concert titled “Going Solo”. All the pieces performed in the concert focused on the role of the soloist, a focus of the GCSE course. The pieces performed ranged from Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto (c. 1720) to excerpts from the film Out of Africa (1985) and gave everyone the opportunity to see and hear a wide range of instruments from harpsichord to contrabassoon. The Brightsparks schools concert played seven pieces ranging from Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto to Berlioz’ Harold in Italy. The pieces were interesting and played brilliantly. The only small issue was the Harold in Italy as it was not as exciting or sophisticated the other pieces Especially when compared to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Ron Goodman’s 633 Squadron. Overall I had a great experience and I learnt a great range of musical terms. Serdi Biba (10A)

My favourite piece was “Winter” from The Four Seasons by Vivaldi as I greatly admire Vivaldi as a composer and violinist and his work on his piece was magnificent. The execution of the piece was equally splendid. The soloist, Pieter Schoeman, played the piece with precise technique and emotion which allowed me to enjoy it even more. My least favourite piece was ‘Peripetie’ by Schoenberg. Despite his musical skill, the piece was too disordered for my liking. Also, it was quite abrupt and it didn’t give the audience time to savour or enjoy it. I was impressed by the execution of the piece nevertheless. Mariam Kakushadza (10A)

ARTS AWARD: SILVER Congratulations to Yassin Akhatar (11C), Inaky Asensio Mejia (11C), Charlotte Bull (11C), Matheus Exner Dos Santos (11P), Venesa Fazlija (11A), Shaima Mohsine (10F) and Millie Thomas (11C) on achieving their Arts Award Silver in conjunction with Trinity College London. Following their incredibly success concert, Dance Dance Revolution, at Wigmore Hall in March the students have been putting together their portfolios for the Arts Award.

The concert was an explosive performance of violinist fireworks featuring Maria Włoszczowska and Alasdair Beatson performing a mix of gypsy, bohemian and folk inspired music. In addition to organising and programming the concert itself the students have produced a portfolio of evidence detailing their work and interest in various disciplines within the arts. The Arts Award Silver is a level 2 qualification and is the equivalent of A*-C at GCSE.

PRACTICAL PERFORMANCE EXAMS Congratulations to the following students who passed their instrument performance exams. PRACTICAL EXAMS Sinead STENSON (10A)

Grade 3 Piano

Lucy COOK (10A)

Grade 3 Singing

Shaima MOHSINE (11F)

Grade 3 Singing

Jacob UNTALAN (12A)

Grade 3 Electric Guitar

Rodrigo MONTEMAYOR (10C)

Grade 3 Electric Guitar (with Merit)

MUSIC THEORY David ABARGHOEIAN (9A)

Grade 1 (with Distinction)

Aliyah ALVES (9C)

Grade 1 (with Distinction)

Marcello CRANSTON (9A)

Grade 1 (with Distinction )

Tyresse DRACKETT (9A)

Grade 1 (with Distinction)

Britany PAGOT (9C)

Grade 1 (with Merit)

Aoife CULLEN (9A)

Grade 3 (with Distinction)

Good luck to all those students who are taking their performance exams in December. Results are expected in early January.

Good bye and Good Luck

It is with a very heavy heart that the Music Miss Hunt Department bids farewell to Ms Hunt this Christmas. Ms Hunt has been an integral part of the Music Department for the past five years, supporting all aspects of music at St George’s from classroom lessons to extracurricular clubs and instrumental lessons. She set up and leads the music theory club with Ms Donaldson, enabling students to develop their music theory knowledge to complement their practical abilities. In addition to working in the Music Department, for the past two years, Ms Hunt has also been training at Great Ormond Street Hospital to be a paediatric nurse. In January she will be joining the Neurology, Craniofacial and Neurosurgery ward. Our loss is Great Ormond Street Hospital’s gain and we wish her every success in the future. Ms C Savage (Head of Music, Year 7) 25

Brexit Written by: Imran Barakzai (Year 13, Economics) There are multiple reasons for the Brexit vote, but in my opinion by far the most important one can be summarised in a single word: 'immigration'. Only a couple of weeks before the vote, the leave campaign was ruthless in focusing on our fears of foreigners. Unfortunately this has been shown time and time again to be a great vote winner all over the world. The British public have suffered extremely badly since the financial crisis. The real wages of the average person fell by almost 10 percent between 2007 and 2016. This had nothing to do with what class you were in the poor, the middle class and the rich all have lost out. It had been longest sustained fall in average pay since the great depression and it has made a handful of people very annoyed with the establishment. These wage falls and poor job prospects have nothing to do with immigration and everything to do with the financial crisis and its slow recovery. But because immigration has tripled since 2004, lots of you have a friend or a family member going for a job and a European migrant gets it. Trust me it sucks. Obviously it’s easy to point a finger at foreigners as the cause of labour market problems. This is the 'lump of labour fallacy' in action- the false idea that there is a fixed number of jobs to go around. People often find it very hard to get their children into a good school nowadays, since they believe there's such a broad scale of migrants using the public sectors as well. People think, 'I pay tax but I am not getting the top quality public service I deserve'. Again, this is completely wrong as immigrants pay more in taxes than they take out in welfare, so it could be argued that subsidising public services for those born in the UK. The BBC, the main source of information for ordinary people, was particularly awful throughout the referendum debates. It reported for hours the breath-taking lies of the Leave campaign, in particular over the £350 million a week EU budget contribution'. This created the impression that there was just some disagreement between the sides, whereas it was clearly a lie. The media and the BBC also failed to reflect the consensus view of the economics profession on the harm of Brexit. A survey of British economists showed that only one respondent though there would be economic benefits to Brexit over the next 5 years, whereas there were 22 who thought we'd be worse off. But only time can tell. Britain’s membership of the EU means that citizens are able, not only to work but also live anywhere within the 28 countries of the EU. The exit from the EU does majorly effect those who would like to go to University and study abroad. Figures from OECD last year showed that undergraduates in England pay the highest tuition fees in the world. This has led to some younger students who are not that financially well off to study in much cheaper European universities, most likely in Germany and the Netherlands. More than 15,000 study in Norway and Turkey according to the Daily Telegraph. Brexit will have a major effect on those wanting to come to England and study or those in England who want to study abroad. This makes the situation harder than it already is. Many young people choose to take a gap year in Europe or travel regularly on the continent. The threat that Brexit poses to visa free travel is a concern for some. Recently the Guardian interviewed Jason Naylor from Wigan and he said` I personally don’t want or live or work in Europe but travelling for holidays is essential for the majority and it would be great always to have the option to live or work there too. I think Brexit would stop our ability to travel, live or work in Europe. A key issue also raised is the ongoing housing crisis, which is disproportionately affecting us young people, and migration will naturally have an impact on the number of available homes. Being concerned with immigration does not make you racist or immoral, but don’t believe the lies about EU migrants being pushed up the social housing list. Exiting the EU will not change the fact that the government is not building enough homes for us. We are young, and we should have the whole of Europe at our feet. Some people in this world don’t have that privilege. Do not throw it way. As others have said, the middle aged want a divorce and they don’t care that it’s the children who will suffer the most. They are living in a fantasy world. Let’s look to the future.

After a very successful season last year, the basketball team were hoping to have another great season. They have now stepped up in age group and compete at u16 level. This means they are competing against year 11 students and are the youngest team in the competition. This is a well drilled team under the watchful eyes of Coach Patrick and Coach Jimmy. They have had a tough test so far with their opening two fixtures being away to Greig City Academy and Platanos College where, on both occasions, they narrowly slipped to defeat. It’s going to take some time for them to adapt to the physicality of the league, but this is a special squad and the future is bright for them. Be sure to offer them words of encouragement whenever you see them around the school.

Squad: Tyler Small, Abiodun Adedo, Jihan Ybanez, Jermaine Wilson-Tra, Rafael Viamonte, Cori Vernon, Elliot Tshingo, Matthew Bathan, Jude McGuirk

Sports Awards 2016 This term, we held our second annual St. George’s Catholic School Sports Awards, celebrating the endeavour and commitment of all of our pupils, who have represented the school over the past academic year. Through the vehicle of sport, at St. George’s school, we strive to develop and reveal key characteristics and skills within our pupils such as:  Character  Teamwork  Sportsmanship  Confidence  Leadership As a PE Department, it gave us great pleasure to celebrate our sporting achievements on what was a fantastic evening. We were delighted to welcome the following special guests:  Ashley McKenzie – GB Olympic Judo and Commonwealth Gold Medallist  Alie Sesay – Barnet FC, Sierra Leone International, formerly of Arsenal & Leicester City  Jason Banton – Crawley Town, Former Arsenal, Leicester City & Crystal Palace player  Lois Roche – Reading Ladies & Republic of Ireland Ladies We are incredibly proud of our teams and prize winners and we look forward to another successful sporting year. Finally, I would like to thank my colleagues in the PE department who have spent endless hours delivering our successful extra-curricular programme. I would also like to thank the outstanding students, who give up their time and show the desire to continue improving on a regular basis. Our Indoor athletics programme begins in January! Mr L Patrick (Head of Physical Education)

Christopher Barbosa, Chidera Akabogu, Tyla Tavernier-Stuart, Cori Vernon.

Pietro Meira, Abiodun Adedo, Tyler Small

Ashley McKenzie

GB Olympic Judo and Commonwealth Gold Medallist

Wanna Lee Magadi, Victorious Olamona, Asiah Green

Gwyneth Belmonte Third in the world in Taekwondo

Sports Awards 2016 Emmanuel Dadzie

Dedication to Sport 28

Girls’ Football

Twelve girls from years 7, 8 and 9 attended the year 9 and 10 Westminster girls’ football tournament this week. All students played spectacular football in every match, which resulted in us winning the tournament, undefeated! We are now Westminster Champions which is a massive achievement and reflects the girls’ exemplary dedication, ability and effort. The girls were a credit to the school both on and off the pitch and I am proud of every single one of them. The majority of the team were playing up from year 7 and 8 highlighting the fantastic up and coming talent we have here at St. George’s. A special mention must go to Asiah Green and Tracey Yatuka, who were our top goal scorers, and to Tia Magli and Tiffany Howlett who, despite being in year 7, played exceptionally for the entirety of each game. A huge congratulations once again to:

Tracy Yatuka 9T, Melissa Barros 9F, Summer Morgan 9P, Lauren Khelifi 9F, Serena Khelifi 9P, Niamh Cusack 8C, Asiah Green 8M, Victorius Olamona 8A, Priscillia Esale-Bizimhari 7P, Tiffany Howlett 7F, Tia Magli 7P and Poppy Thomas 7P.

Cross Country Team

Sixteen pupils attended the Westminster Cross Country Championships at Regent’s Park last week. All students ran really strong races and put an exceptional amount of effort into their event. There were some exceptional performances amongst the team, in particular Yemani Weldeab who was placed (6th) in the Key Stage 4 race and our Key Stage 3 boys’ team; Timothy Mpolesha (14th). Steven Morris Zazzara (16th ) Angel Limeira (18th) and Tyrese Jude (24th) which resulted in them being placed (4th) in Westminster overall. Well done to all those involved: Steven Morris Zazzara 7P, Tia Magli 7P, Izabella Chiari 7P, Lola Rodriguez Parker 7F,

Priscillia Esale-Bizimhari 7P, Charity Wren 8A, Gwen Belmonte 8A, Angel Limeira 8T, Timothy Mpolesha 8T, Tyrese Jude 8M, Ariana Oliveira Krieger 8T, Alicja-Blucha 9A, Yemani Weldeab 10F and Sinead Stenston 10A.

D sign & T chno ogy KS3 WINNERS

Autumn Star 2016 -2017

Leeward Dela Cruz 8T for consistent excellence in Technical Drawing. Mr Pakington

KS4 WINNERS

Charity Wren 8A For a superb neat and accurate technical drawing. Mr Pakington

Alicja Blucha 9A Y9 GCSE Design and Technology for outstanding effort with her Photoshop Magazine cover. Ms Vadgama

KS4 Maximiliano Schell 10F Y10 GCSE Product Design for a fantastic start to his coursework. Ms Vadgama

Can you be Spring terms DT Star? Each of our winners have been awarded due to their hard work, effort, imagination and focus in lesson. Each winner received a personalised DT STAR award! Well done Designer! Ms Vadgama

Library/ Learning Resources Centre The Library/Learning Resource Centre has been a busy place since the beginning of the Autumn term. The facility has been used throughout school days for personal study and reading lessons, teaching and research sessions, as well as for revision and homework preparation after school and on Saturdays.

After School Homework Prep After school, the library has been well used by students for homework preparation. Students have had an opportunity to study and complete their homework in a calm and studious environment with assistance and guidance from members of staff. This provision has become increasingly popular among students. Many pupils, who have been attending the library after school, benefit greatly from attending the club, as it helps them to develop their academic abilities and study skills. After School Homework Prep is available to all year groups every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday until 6pm (with the complimentary evening meal in the school canteen), as well as every Thursday and Friday until 4.10pm. The Library/LRC facility is also available for students’ use on Saturdays during the term time between 9.30am and 2pm.

On the 6th of October, St. George’s school students and staff celebrated the annual National Poetry Day. Year 7 students had a wonderful opportunity to visit the library that day during Ms Wood’s English lesson, the purpose of which was to celebrate the National Poetry Day by creating their own poems on the theme of “Messages: say it with a poem”. It was a great experience to observe students working so keenly on their poetry pieces. Poems created during the session displayed students’ enthusiastic effort, talent and creative writing skills. Many students shared their poems at the end of the session and participated in performing them with a passion and dedication. Well done!

Thank you also to the other year group participants for creating and submitting poems to celebrate this lovely event.

Best Children’s Books 2016

Students from 7A, reading out their poems

My message to my future-self

Self – promises Dear future-self, It’s hard to say this as well as to do, And I really don’t want to mess up things for you. I promise to be careful as I grow up And I’ll try not to get myself trapped in any sort of muck. I promise to study hard and do the hard work in your place, So promise me not to stress about this case. Let’s solemnly promise one another To go as far as we can to help each other. I promise always to be a part of your life Despite the dramatic difference in time. I’m imaging that you are eating ice-cream on a busy pier And couldn’t be more delighted as you cheer. Now, there is one thing that I desperately need you to promise me: And that’s that you’ll never, ever stop being happy!

Written by Emma Zefi, 7A

To my future self, work hard and face all the challenges That face me, to love and care for all my friends and family. Never be sad and angry, no matter how much people may trouble me. To learn and improve my knowledge, So I will do well in college. In this lovely school of St. George’s I wish the world would stop killing soldiers. I wish wars would stop, take guns and make them drop Make the world a better place, to save the entire human race. For now these are dreams and wishes, so for now I will stick to doing dishes. Later in life I will have a child, raise him up, I hope he won’t be wild. I’ll do well in my job, whatever it could be, I want to end my life with a happy smile, with my family by my side. Telling them I love them all, missing all the texts, ha, ha, lol. To be risen into heaven, with everyone knowing my name is Clevan. To remember I like cooking and sport, playing games and building forts.

Written by Clevan D’Costa 7A

Best Young Adult Reads 2016

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Compliciteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Workshop On Wednesday 16th of November, drama students in years 9, 10, 11 and 13 had the opportunity to take part in a workshop run by theatre practitioners 'Complicite'. 'Complicite' are internationally renowned, have received numerous awards and are considered one of the most influential theatre companies in Britain today. With a focus on bringing actors together to create new material (a technique known simply as 'devising'), the workshop explored the many ways that performers can create work themselves, without relying on a director or writer. This puts our drama students in good stead, as they are about to devise pieces of their own as part of their final GCSE performance, and our A-Level students are in the final stages of producing their final devised performance around the theme of injustice, to be shown in January next year.

Nicole Silva

Christmas Fayre 2016

Epraise Epraise is St George’s online praise and rewards system designed to motivate students. Teachers are able to award points for: good contribution in class, good homework, helpfulness, good results of class tests, peer mentoring duty and prefect duty. Students are then able to save up the points they receive online, track their progress against other students, tutor groups and year groups. When students have collected and saved enough points, they are able to buy a number of prizes from stationery sets, sports equipment, books and technology devices.

Firstly year 10 and 11 students have climbed their way to the top of the leader board; it is no longer strongly dominated by year 7-9. It is clear the year 10 and 11 students have started competing for the £100 vouchers available to the winners of key stage 3 and 4. So years 7-9 watch out, those KS4 students are finding their way to the top board. Secondly, teachers have had their own competition running this term. Every week, a leader board is produced showing the top 20 teachers for awarding Epraise points in the school. The teacher’s leader board is even accessible for students on the Epraise site. If you see your tutors, heads of year or class teachers have not awarded points recently, remind them that they don’t want to be on the bottom of the list! Finally there are some new and exciting prizes to be won on the site from art sets and Victoria Secret body sprays to books and, of course, the ever in demand basketballs. Please come to see Ms Price in the PE office to pick up your prizes once you have bought them with your points from the website. At the end of each term, the top three students in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 will receive prizes. The top two winners will receive £100 vouchers from a shop of their choice, the second prize winners will receive £50 vouchers and the third will receive £25. To see where you are on the leader boards, check the Epraise website but also take a look at the TV screens around school which show the top 10 students in each year group.

EXAMPLES OF GOOD WORK

Marina Funcasta

Ella-May Faulds

Alicja Blucha

Yara Masalmehâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Yr12.

Carl Abiadorâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; Self Portraits

Mother Theresa— Kristina Preka , Yr12

Filipe Francisco— Self Portrait , Yr12

A Taste from the School Blog

Since October this year, St George’s students have been expressing themselves through the school blog. It is a place to write creative or persuasive pieces that can range around any topic you see fit! Here is a taste of what has been contributed so far. You can visit the school website to find a link to the blog. If you would like to contribute, please send your work to Ms Maniscaclo.

Social Norms: Written by: Jon Kabashi This blog is going to be talking about social norms and what is expected of you from society. I will discuss whether these values of society are a good or bad thing and why. Today, I will be talking about the word ‘No’.

‘No’, it's just a simple word, meaning you refuse something or give a negative response. But in society, it can be taken as something offensive in some cases. For example, a group of acquaintances ask you if you want to go out to Starbucks and get some hot chocolate. You don't want to go, so you say ‘No, sorry I've got work to do. Maybe another time?’ If you would say this, they would understand that you are not able to come because, in this context, you have something important to finish. However, if you just said ‘No’ and walked away, they would think you are being rude and you do not appreciate their offer. But why? I personally think that it's because today society is not used to getting a negative response without a reason to rationalise it. I mean, you could say yes to that same question and proceed to go to Starbucks without having to explain yourself. So why must you explain yourself when you say no? In my opinion, you should be able to say no, walk away and no one gets offended. Maybe it's because people don't like negative opinions? Maybe it's because people were raised to receive positive answers? There is no definite answer, but people should, in my opinion, consider learning to receive a negative response without a reason to rationalise it. I mean, I get the fact that you don't want a negative response, but sometimes society has to learn that not everything revolves around them. It would benefit some people if people would learn to take a negative opinion. For instance, you don't feel like going somewhere so you just say no, with out having to give a reason. I don't know about some people, but for me, that would help a lot. I wouldn’t want to refuse someone's offer and hurt them, but at the same time I don't want to lie to them. If you ever get stuck in this type of scenario, you are basically between a rock and a hard place! To conclude this discussion, I understand why it is a custom for people to not be able to accept a negative answer, and I appreciate it. I suggest that people should not be able to take a negative reaction and be able to. It just depends on the situation and the person. I think that by taking this into consideration, many people would benefit from this. Thank you for reading this blog entry, and I hope you have a fabulous day!

Books! Written by Susana Correia I can officially say that I have lived a hundred different lives from reading books. I have learnt so much from them. My writing and reading has boosted rapidly over the years. Books are my escape, my escape from everything, If something is happening in real life I write about it, every single detail, however I always end the story with a happy ending. I might not know if there will be one for the situation happening outside in the real world but it makes me feel at ease. I love reading. Actually, let me rephrase that, I am so passionate about books that I will spend hours and hours with my nose inside a book. I remember my first every chapter book. I used to think that they were a waste of time, however, I realised that it was the best way to pass my time. Trying out new books is like going on a new adventure, learning about new things. What about History? Without books who would we extend our knowledge?

UN’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women Written by Sonya-Marie Dariya Last week I went to an event in the Commonwealth secretariat that was set up to advocate the elimination of violence against women in the UN. There was a panel of speakers, including Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, second counsellor of education from the Kenyan High Commission, Margaret Lesuuda, chief scientific advisor and director of research and evidence at DFID, Professor Charlotte Watts, and Commonwealth Girls Education Fund ambassador, Ladi Dariya. They all gave the most moving and empowering talks on the effects of acts of violence on women in commonwealth countries, they mainly focused on female genital mutilation (FGM) and the impacts it has on millions of women physically and emotionally. FGM is the process where girls as young as 5 are taken to places to partake in a ‘cutting’ ceremony in order to be perceived by their community as women. This means that they can be married off at that age to a man almost 5 times their age. If you agree that this is despicable you know it needs to change. We watched a video about a young girl called Nancy who started a revolution against FGM by at first refusing to have it done and then giving girls who didn’t have her confidence a voice.

You can read more about it here https://nancysgirlrevolution.com/ One talk that particularly took my attention was that of. Ladi Dariya. When she was a young girl, her father died. His other wives took all the money leaving her family in poverty. She was sent off to live with her uncle and had to work as a goat herder. In a nutshell, she was bad at it. She would often let the goats run wild while she snuck into school. This was because in her community only boys went to school as it was seen as a more valuable investment. Soon after the village started complaining about the goat-related destruction of their crops, which eventually led to her uncle reluctantly letting her go to school. This was going great until secondary school. At that point she was in trouble. This was until a charity, then know as the Commonwealth Countries League, sponsored her through secondary school. She eventually went to university and met a lovely man, before going on to have three amazingly empowered daughters. After the talks I felt empowered. I knew that people my age were worrying about marriage while I worried about homework and that needed to change. Not every girl is as lucky as Ladi was and that needs to change. We need to stand up and (not physically) fight for as long as it takes to abolish these injustices forever. From, Your friendly neighbourhood feminist.

Ps: If you couldn’t tell Ladi is my mum.

We hope you have enjoyed this little taster from the St George’s blogosphere—now get writing!

14th—18th November 2016

Whole School Challenge

Focus Week —

TALK TO SOMEONE NEW In order to prevent bullying, you should try to make new friends with as many people that you can. You should try to talk to as many new people around school within the one week challenge. For every new person that you speak to and have never spoken to previously, you must get a signature from that person. Give your signatures to your form tutors, who will email Miss Taylor the winner with the most signatures. They will be entered into a competition to win a prize! How many of these signature’s can become your potential new friends?

You and Your Values 1)

Come up with 5 qualities that you believe makes a good person

What can you do to implement these qualities yourself?

In light of this, what new year resolutions might you make for 2017?

QUESTIONS 1.

2. Who should take responsibility for the choices you make?

What is a choice?

A) An act of choosing the possibility that is best for you. A) Your friends B) An act of choosing between two or more possibilities B)

You

C) Acting on the easiest possibility

Your parents

3. What is a consequence?

4. Select what you think is the best choice of action

for the following dilemma. Your friend Jack sees his

friends shouting names at a younger student. A) The positive effect, result, or outcome or something occurring earlier.

A) You tell your friends to stop.

B) A forfeit one must take as a result of something occurring earlier.

B) You walk the other direction, pretending you did not see it.

C) The effect, result, or outcome of something occurring C) You join in. earlier

5. Select what you think is the best choice of action

6. Select what you think is the best choice of action

for the following dilemma. You see an elderly person

for the following dilemma. You do not understand your

drop their bad on the floor.

homework which is due tomorrow.

You walk past.

A) You don’t do the homework at all.

You help the elderly person pick up their bag.

B) You ask your teacher or friend to help.

You laugh.

C) You copy your friends homework.

7. Select what you this is the best choice of action for 8. Select what you think is the best choice for the the following dilemma. Your friend asks you to steal a

following dilemma. Your friend asks you for help with

chocolate bar the local shop.

their homework.

A) You do as your friend asks.

A) Use your break to explain the homework to your friend.

B) You tell your friend to do it instead.

B) Tell him/her to copy yours.

C) You say no and do not steal the chocolate bar.

C) Don’t help him/her

Chem. Jokes

********************************************************************* Q: A:

What did one titration say to the other? “Lets meet at the endpoint.”

Q: A:

Did you hear Oxygen went on a date with Potassium? It went OK.

Q: A:

What did you call a clown who’s in jail? A silicon.

If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. No, if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the precipitate. Q: A:

Anyone know any jokes about sodium? Na

Q: A:

What did one say ion say to the other? I’ve got my ion you.

Q: What did the scientist say when he found two isotopes of helium? A: Hee Hee

Q: A:

What is the name of 007’s Eskimo cousin? Polar Bond.

Q: A:

What is “HIJKLMNO”? H2O

Silver walks up to Gold in a bar and says, “AU, get outta here!” 48

All I really need to know about life, I learned from Noah’s Ark 1.

Don’t miss the boat

Don’t forget we’re all in the same boat.

Plan ahead— it wasn’t raining when Noah built the Art.

Stay fit—when you’re 600 years old someone might ask you to do something really big.

Don’t listen to critics, just get on with what has to be done.

For safety's sake travel in pairs .

Two heads are better than one.

Build your future on high ground.

Speed isn’t always an advantage, after all, the snails were on the, same ark with the cheetahs.

10.

When you are stressed, float a while.

11.

Remember the ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic was built by professionals.

12.

Remember that the woodpeckers inside are a larger threat than the storm outside

“I’ve been going to dance club for two months now and it’s very fun. I have learnt many new dance moves. Also, the teachers have made the lessons fun. I feel like I’m in another world!”

Alicja Skorupa, 7C

A new dance club has started this year at St. George's Catholic School. The club is organised by both Ms. Spedding and a dance scheme called 'Step Into Dance'. The scheme consists of a partnership between The Jack Petchey Foundation and The Royal Academy of Dance and is the largest, on-going and inclusive secondary school dance programme in the UK. So far, St. George's students have been learning street dance and break dancing every week with an inspirational, professional dancer called Ricardo. The club offers students weekly classes to learn a new skill and develop creatively and professionally. Not only that, but students will also get the opportunity to showcase their talent in performances throughout the year.

“My experience at dance club is amazing. Miss Spedding is a very good dancer, her routines are the best. The one thing I love about Miss Spedding is that she does all different types of dance. Now there has been a new dance teacher called Ricardo. I like him because he does not only just do dance, he does the Brazilian martial art, Capoeira, which I used to do. This could be used in our dancing.”

Jackson Morgan, 7F.

“My experience at street dance is amazing. It makes me a better dancer and has helped me to learn new moves.”

Lashay Connage, 7T

Our CLUBS …… Debate Mate Club and Trip On Wednesday 2nd of November, a group of students attended a live debate for the launch of the ‘Debate Mate’ program with Mr Mackay. The debate was about whether or not we should elect our head teachers. The proposition side was in favour of electing our head teachers and the opposition was opposed to it. After a very eventful debate it was up to the floor/ audience to make any points for or against the idea. The best point was given a prize. I made a point during the floor debate and argued why we should elect our head teachers and ended up winning. I explained that giving children this democratic opportunity would ensure we would be responsible voters when we were older. As a whole, the experience was amazing and I was very inspired to start debate club as soon as possible. Now every Tuesday we meet in S10 for debate club where we play games in order to practise our debating skills and even have formal debates. In January we will be having our first debate competition which we are all looking forward to very much.

Sonya-Marie Dariya 8A

Gifted & Talented — LATIN Ever since I have decided to take Latin as an extra-curriculum subject, I have discovered its importance and relevance to our daily lives. Latin is not just another, as some may say, ‘complex’ language which has been forgotten; we all use it to communicate with others, not just English, but through other Latinderived languages also such as Spanish and French. The Latin classes provided by Mr Lynch are engaging and extremely useful; he has the teaching power to naturally befit Latin into English, like a key opening a lock, and provides students with a greater understanding of the subject.

Don’t be intimated by what you think of Latin at the moment because once you begin to understand key concepts of the language, you are open to a whole new world of understanding. If you decide to take Latin, you have a better passport to reach those top universities as it is a rare and very special qualification. Very few other schools decide to teach Latin, which make it even more of an uncommon yet profitable privilege for the students at St George’s. And for fir that I must praise Mr Lynch for his incredible diligence and effort which he puts into these Latin Sessions. Jonathan E Rivera, 11A

Our CLUBS …… Drama Club

Drama Club is the best club that I know of. We play games such as “Zip! Zap! Zop!” which forces us to

focus our energy and act with both intention and concentration. Drama club takes place every Monday lunchtime, but our drama teacher, Mrs. Waller, wants us to be well nourished and eat first before we head up to S1 by 1:40. Drama doesn't just boost focus and concentration, it will also boosts confidence. I love drama and it has boosted my confidence to stand in front of and audience of 100 and perform with confidence. In Drama we participate in performances: this Christmas we will be participating in the Christmas liturgy. We try to incorporate themes that are occurring around the school that week – so during one week in November, we focused on Anti Bullying and made ‘freeze-frame’ about two bullying situations and what we might do to counteract bullying – this is something like the Mannequin challenge! In Drama we love to be friendly and ask for more people to join so they can be happy and enjoy lunchtime with us. Come and join us! But be quick, there is now a waiting list for students as there are so many of us keen to take part! By George Abi-Chaaya.

Aspiring Stars Club Every Wednesday morning we have Aspiring Stars Club, which allows us to push ourselves and enhance our academic and nonacademic skills. This term we have entered the ‘Practical Action- Design for Change Competition’ with members of Years 7, 8 and 9 designing technologies to help reach the UN 2030 Goals. These goals range from ending world hunger to creating sustainable communities.

Spanish Club

My group has been designing a way to improve access to renewable energies. We have designed a technology that can convert the energy produced at a football match into electricity. By using technology being piloted at Harvard, we would be able to convert the vibrations caused by both the playing as well as the crowd of a football match into electrical energy. Other groups have come up with a huge range of ideas from LED street lamps to water distilleries powered by playgrounds! We have sent off our ideas to Practical Action and look forward to hearing the results in the New Year! Max Shackle 8A and Kofi Siriboe 8C

Clubs at St George’s School

Girls Basketball Monday 3.30pm-4.30pm Thursday 4.45am-8.45am

For Year 7, 8 and 9. Every Thursday Lunchtime, in S13 & S14. Everyone is welcome! Take the chance to build upon your drawing skills, try new materials, complete Art homework and meet new friends.

Girls Football

Please feel free to bring your packed lunch with you.

3.30-4.30

Wednesday

Boys’ Basketball Tuesday & Thursday 3.30pm-5pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday 7:45 to 8.45am

Badminton Netball

Year 7 & 8 Tuesday 3.30-4.30

Wednesday

Table Tennis Every Morning

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Many thanks to all parents, pupils and staff who supported Our Christmas Fayre, especially local businesses who donated generously.

A Happy and Holy Christmas to all, from the PTA. 55

and a Happy New Year from all the Governors and staff at St George’s School St George’s School Lanark Road London W9 1RB Tel: 020 7328 0904 Fax: 020 7624 6083 Email: office@stgeorgesrc.org