DIXIT - 29 March 2019

DIXIT

EDITION 49 29th March 2019

The weekly newsletter for the Holyport College family

Sakura High School visit from Japan 12 Students from the Japanese school visited Holyport College for the third year on Tuesday. They were enthusiastically welcomed by our Year 10 Japanese Club students, who took them round the school and participated in group activities all morning.

After more chatter and laughter over lunch in the canteen, Japanese students impressed 20+ Year 10 students with presentations in English, with topics ranging from animal shelter to politics.

We ended the day with the customary group photo in front of the Winton Building. Thank you to all the students involved for being great ambassadors to the school!

@holyportcollege

www.youtube.com/holyportal

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DIXIT 29th March 2019

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IN THIS EDITION

From Humanities Moving reports from two Sixth Form students of their recent visit to Auschwitz

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From the Music Rooms News from the Music department

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From the Sixth Form Holyport Lectures

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From the College Recent activities from various departments

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From Milton Fawcett MF’s weekly news page

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From the Sports Fields Fixtures and games this week

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From the Refectory Fixtures and games this week

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From the Calendar Upcoming events and dates for your diaries

@holyportcollege www.youtube.com/holyportal 2

FROM HUMANITIES

DIXIT 29th March 2019

Sixth Formers participate in Lessons from Auschwitz Project Lower Sixth Historians and Religious Studies students were invited, earlier this term, to apply to represent the College in the Lessons from Auschwitz Project, run by the Holocaust Education Trust. Flynn O’Leary and Will Goderski were chosen as our ambassadors. Here they share their thoughts on what they have learnt so far...

Admittedly, I’ve already written these few introductory lines so many times, in an attempt to find the right words, but I’ve had to surrender to the fact that I’ll never find the “right” words to describe what Auschwitz is and what it represents.

On the evening of the 18th March, after waking up at 2am to check in a few hours later at Stansted airport, we found ourselves on a bus back to Krakow, our minds filled with hundreds of thoughts and questions that will never find a rational answer. After a 90 minute journey to Stansted, 2 hour flight to Poland and a 90 minute drive on the other side, we found ourselves in Auschwitz; or as it was known before the Germans invaded, Oświęcim. What shocked us on our journey over was how bleak the area was: there seemed to be no colour aside from the grey and brown in buildings and a sort of washed out green where it seemed that grass couldn’t quite grow.

We’d read countless articles of people's experiences - victims and visitors alike - in an attempt to prepare ourselves; as we were warned repeatedly that the visit can be very difficult to process. But nothing could’ve prepared us for the blistering wind, bitter cold and the abject horror we felt when walking under the infamous “Arbeit macht frei” gate. We put on our headsets before we entered the first camp Auschwitz I - through which our guide, David, spoke to us. We walked in relative silence for the next few hours, alone with our surroundings, thoughts and our guides voice; talking us through what was in front of us and what we couldn’t quite comprehend. After watching movies, documentaries, reading books & diaries and seeing photos of the atrocities of Auschwitz, it didn't seem real to us; to be seeing it in the flesh. I just remember that what did feel real was the weight and pain I’d felt in my chest and my heart hammering.

David took us through the barracks which housed entire Jewish communities, Greeks, Eastern Europeans, gypsies, homosexuals and those with disabilities before their murder. We saw the infamous rooms; of human hair which the nazis tore from their victims, of childrens shoes and clothing, piles of striped “uniforms”, stacks of suitcases, crutches and prosthetic limbs and - what struck me most at the time - the piles of personal belongings and toys of those who were told they were being relocated or would soon be returning home.

Auschwitz was smaller than we’d expected and, consequently, the homes of the perpetrators, the barracks and the gas chambers & crematoria were all in this same area. Without relaying the graphic details of the black wall, the gallows and the chambers we saw, I would say that the harrowing and sick feeling that struck us that day was unlike anything we’d experienced before. (cont…)

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DIXIT 29th March 2019

FROM HUMANITIES

I think we both felt that, at the first camp, so much pain and hatred had been condensed and now manifested as this inescapable emotion, but Birkenau was quite different.

It’s the largest of the three main Auschwitz camps, built in 1941 to house up to 200,000 prisoners after the original camp got too overcrowded. Birkenau is where the scale of the horrors that went on here start to hit you. Birkenau stretches over 425 acres of bleak, barren landscape, with lines of barbed-wire fences and watchtowers stretching off into the distance in each direction. It’s a huge extermination camp where the Nazis industrialised death, building four gas chambers to dispose of as many people as they could as efficiently as possible.

Despite this, the vastness of the camp was so great that a sort of numb and hollow feeling took over at this point. The fatigue had kicked in for us and the wind made it so much more real for us to imagine standing in the very same place; crawling off the cattle cart after a ten day journey, being torn from our families and putting on our own striped uniform.

It would seem that there is no other way to confront this reality than by visiting somewhere like Auschwitz; which was an emotional but incredible experience. Our educators - as part of the LFA project drove home to us that we should not stare into the past as the resting place of this prejudice and hatred when it is alive and well in our “modern” and “progressive” society.

We’d strongly encourage anyone who has the opportunity to take it; despite how daunting it might be!

We’ll both carry forward a wholly unique experience and know that if debate is ever bogged down in jargon or obscured by politicised sweeping statements, we will just cast our minds to the day we visited Poland. Thank you so much from both of us - to Miss Lunney and HET for the opportunity.

Flynn O’Leary We visited Auschwitz 1 and Auschwitz Birkenau on the 18th of March. After attending the pre trip Learning for Auschwitz seminar in London and learning about pre war anti semitism we had a very basic understanding of how the day would pan out. We were told little details about what we would actually experience throughout the day apart from that we were visiting two of the three areas of Auschwitz and the town, renamed by the Nazis to Auschwitz, Oświęcim.

We were shown pre war images of the town before we visited it, these showed a large market with streets packed with people, which is what we expected to see when we got off the bus. However, it was extremely quiet and very eerie, even now, more than 70 years after the war. We were taken to an area with grass and trees on the outskirts of the town between two large churches, where a large synagogue had once stood, but no longer did as the Nazis had taken it down. There was a large Jewish community there before the war, however there is not one living in the town anymore. (cont…)

@Holyport_Hums

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FROM HUMANITIES

DIXIT 29th March 2019

We then got back onto the bus and proceeded to Auschwitz 1. When we arrived, I was surprised by just how large the entire camp was. There were rows of huge brick housing units for hundreds of meters which were multistorey. Some had been turned into museums to honour and continue the memory of the many people who had died there over the years. There was a room full of human hair which the Nazis had been preparing to sell to make rugs. This shows just how sick and twisted the Nazis were, the total disregard for their victims’ humanity, as they would sell their hair to make rugs. We entered many rooms with equally as harrowing objects or pictures within and this can be said the same of when we entered Auschwitz Birkenau.

When we entered through the infamous large brick building at the front of Birkenau, we were surprised at how desolate the entire area was. This was due to the Nazis having burnt or knocked down almost all of the evidence that a concentration camp had ever existed here.

The fact that the holocaust ever happened is awful but the overlying fact that the Nazis had no intention of letting the world know and would burn all of the evidence they had of any of the events occurring is shocking.

Through them finally being stopped, and seeing the remnants of the atrocity they committed and the number of people visiting each day and each year, shows that the Nazis did not succeed.

Every person who goes into a camp comes out with nothing but respect for the religion of Judaism, even after the shocking events of the Holocaust, they did not let this defeat them. Reading extracts found from the victims or listening to survivors speak of their faith and how the entire time they were faithful that God would save them, is remarkable and shows their strong will.

Once we returned from Auschwitz, I was asked many times how it made me feel and if, in going to the place where it occurred, I could feel any sort of connection or empathy for the victims of Auschwitz.

The answer to the latter question is that it is impossible to make a connection as although us going there has shown we want to learn and that we want to try to understand the atrocity they were victims of, it is such an awful event that we physically cannot understand it and the only way to bring justice to the victims of this horrible event is to prevent anything that has even remote similarities to this ever happening again.

Will Goderski

@HolyportExpArts

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DIXIT

FROM THE MUSIC ROOMS

29th March 2019

Spring Concert 2019

Well, what can I say?! Around 70 very talented and excited teenagers, 40+ composers / arrangers, and a plethora of styles from Classical to Punk Rock to Ragtime to Musical Theatre and everything in between and way beyond….add in a brilliant year 9-10 tech team, professional sound and lighting, wonderfully supportive colleagues and a truly appreciative audience numbering in excess of 300 - this probably goes halfway to describing how brilliant Tuesday night was.

Every item in the concert was special and had a sense of wonder and awe. There were no weak items. Our lovely students have grabbed this opportunity with both hands and created an event that was truly remarkable. From our youngest soloists year 8 rockers Luca and Harvey in their first gig to seasoned professional Year 12 Grace making us rather misty eyed with her beautifully moving rendition of The Scarlet Pimpernel’s ‘Only Love’, true musicianship and unbelievable talent oozed out of every item, striking something deep inside all of us, reminding us all of the profound effect of music and why it is such an important part of our lives.

Heartfelt thanks and congratulations to:

Key Stage 3 Choir Maite Alvargonzalez; Samara Anderson; Amelie Bellinger; Dyllan Campisi-Dignan; Lois Clark; Ollie Clark; Darcy Clarke; Cate Cowper; Diya Davda; Lillian Davidson; Katherine Dudley; Jamie Harris; Emma Heath; Dominic Holmes; Rocco Horton; Darcey Howe; Connor Jones; Daniel Leaver; Evie McPherson; Aaron Miah; Alan Ombewa; Deborah Oyewole; Martha Pearce; Bea Powell-Harper; Maisie Russell; Arte Sershi; Jamie Sheffield; William Shone; Remy Stannard; Cara Terry; Victoria Williams; Sophie Wisa; Peter Yanev

Evolutio Boys’ Choir Dyllan Campisi-Dignan; Ollie Clark; Jamie Harris; Rocco Horton; Connor Jones; Daniel Leaver; Aaron Miah; Alan Ombewa; Jamie Sheffield; William Shone; Hector Walker; Peter Yanev

@HolyportMusic

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FROM THE MUSIC ROOMS

DIXIT 29th March 2019

In Angelis Maite Alvargonzalez; Cate Cowper; Deborah Oyewole; Martha Pearce; Maisie Russell; Arte Sershi Anima Elite SSA Choir Grace Allen; Chantelle Amusan; Anna Box; Cate Cowper; Jacqueline Green; Imogen Harrison; Flynn O’Leary; Teagan Pickering; Arte Sershi; Megan Shakespeare; Elizabeth Wales; Eloise White Girls’ Chamber Choir Grace Allen; Maite Alvargonzalez; Chantelle Amusan; Samara Anderson; Amelie Bellinger; Lucy Blunden; Anna Box; Lois Clark; Cate Cowper; Katherine Dudley; Jacqueline Green; Millie Hall; Imogen Harrison; Darcey Howe; Jemima Jones; Evie McPherson; Giulia Moretti; Eszter Olah; Flynn O’Leary; Deborah Oyewole; Camilla Pearce; Martha Pearce; Teagan Pickering; Bea Powell-Harper; Maisie Russell; Arte Sershi; Megan Shakespeare; Cara Terry; Elizabeth Wales; Eloise White College Orchestra Vn I: Lorenzo Bardella; Vn II: Amelie Brindle; Vn III: Victoria Williams; Viola: Tilly Grierson; Cello I: Hector Walker & Eloise White; Cello II: Elwyn Mollart; Flute I: Mrs Crocker; Flute II: Lillian Davidson & Katherine Dudley; Oboe: Ollie Clark & Mr Hubbard; Trumpet: Rose Squire-Cross & Mrs Gee; Alto Sax: Teagan Pickering, Sofia Cardoso, Deborah Oyewole & Jachin Aghoghovbia; Bassoon: Beth Wiltshire; Perc. I: Daniel Leaver; Perc. II: Alan Ombewa & Callum Duncan Chamber Ensemble Violin: Lorenzo Bardella Flute: Mrs Crocker; Oboe: Ollie Clark & Mr Hubbard; Bassoon: Beth Wiltshire; Cello: Hector Walker & Eloise White; Piano: Shani Inniss

Espionage Drums: Dan Leaver; Lead Guitar: Elliot Pett; Rhythm Guitar: Cameron Mobley; Bass Guitar: Peter Yanev; Vocals: Jamie Harris RSL Band Drums: Bailey Larder; Lead Guitar: Will Spires; Rhythm Guitar: Josh Jacques; Vocals: Hector Walker Additional Soloists: Devan Gibson; Harvey Griffiths; Lily Smyth; Luca Thomas

Sound & Lighting Team: Rocco Horton; Jamie Sheffield; Tom Wood Special Thanks to Mr Frankel and Mr Bryant for accompanying so beautifully, to Mr Hubbard, Mrs Gee and Mrs Crocker for sharing your instrumental expertise with our students in orchestra and to Miss Lunney and Mr McCarey for staffing support. Thank you also to the Friends of Holyport College for running the bar and raffle!

@HolyportMusic

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DIXIT 29th March 2019

FROM THE MUSIC ROOMS

There are two photo galleries of the event where you can purchase pictures for a special memory. Splaat Media kindly attended and have produced some really beautiful pictures here: https://splaatmedia.co.uk/galleries/holyport-college-spring-concert-2019 - please email me at j.bryant@holyportcollege.org.uk for the password. Baylis Media, on behalf of the Maidenhead Advertiser weekly newspaper also attended and these can be viewed here: https:// www.baylismediaphotos.co.uk/gallery/home/143028/holyport-131108.html An article about the concert with photos is due to appear in next Thursday’s edition (4th April).

Year 11 multi-talented musician Eloise White was presented with the first ‘Outstanding Musician’ award, in recognition not only of her personal music making, but also of all she has contributed to the Music Department over the last two years by leading others and being a superb role model for younger students. Thank you for being such a remarkable part of music here at Holyport we will miss you greatly next year when you go to pastures new, but wish you every success! 

The Spring Concert signals the time for us to say thank you to all the Year 11 Musicians for their talent and commitment - it is now time to focus solely on your GCSEs and we hope to be making music again with you in September! For those of you going to new beginnings, all the very best and keep in touch!

Whilst the Spring Concert is a showcase for our most confident and talented musicians, next term sees the return of the Informal Concert, where students may sign themselves up to perform whatever they wish. I will be on hand to help and advise if necessary or required but this is a concert that will be entirely shaped by the students themselves. Watch this space for more info next term!

Mrs Bryant @HolyportMusic

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FROM THE SIXTH FORM

DIXIT 29th March 2019

Holyport Lectures March 21st - Windsor MP Adam Afriyie

Mr Afriyie gave a talk last Thursday, largely focused on Brexit and his road to becoming an MP after his career in the technology business. He explained the reasons behind his votes against Theresa May’s Brexit deal. Pupils posed a wide range of questions on his views and the potential outcomes of the Brexit process.

He clarified his position on the process, defending the notion that his constituents voted in favour of remaining, pointing out that parts of Bracknell (an area that voted to leave) lay in his constituency. It sparked a wide range of opinions and discussions throughout the attendees and provided plenty of food for thought on the current political impasse.

We appreciate Adam giving up his time and hopefully inspiring our students to talk an interest in politics, which seems promising as he spoke to a full house of Sixth Formers.

March 26th - Insead Lecturer - Craig Smith

Business ethicist, Craig Smith discussed many of the choices we make shopping everyday, from clothes made in China to use of social media. What corporate choices are we endorsing, from low wage labour in Asia to sale of our browsing data to advertisers in return for free use of Facebook and Instagram.

He illustrated the choices we should be aware of and the behaviour of businesses that we sometimes ignore when shopping. Tobani and Romina in their interview, asked him to reflect on how business are rated on their ethical conduct and unfortunately how this can only come to light following large scale instances of corporate misconduct such as Volkswagon or Eron.

@HPCSixth

@Holy_Sport

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DIXIT

FROM THE COLLEGE

29th March 2019

Liam & Thandi, from Year 8, alongside Eton boys came first in the UKMT regional Maths challenge and will now be competing in the UKMT national Maths challenge in June. 

Throughout the term, a group of student year 9 students from Holyport have had sessions by Sixth Form students from Eton on a host of topics that we would not necessarily learn or explore in the classroom. Dubbed "Aspirations”, this has been a successful collaboration between the two schools. Topics included were; starting up a business, ethics, morality and free will.

For the final lesson, we went to Eton to present our chosen topic to the Aspirations mentors and staff. The topics presented were: Brexit, cultural diversity in the UK, body image, ambition and the gender pay gap.

After our presentations the audience were invited to ask us questions on our topics, which consisted in some difficult ones. We found the whole experience worthwhile, fun and a great way to broaden our horizons. Thank you to the students and staff from Eton.

Deborah Oyewole

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Sixth Form Geographers participate in Maidenhead regeneration discussions On the 20th of March Debbie Radcliffe from JTP (architects, masterplanners and placemakers) who are involved in redeveloping the Nicholson Centre in Maidenhead came to speak to Sixth Form geographers about the redevelopment. She explained the different aspects and stakeholders involved in redevelopment projects. She was also interested getting information from our pupils about what redevelopment they would like to see in Maidenhead.

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FROM MILTON FAWCETT

DIXIT 29th March 2019

We’ve had another great week in MF. We were blown away with the talent shown in the spring concert and were so proud of all of the girls who performed. 

Celebrations from the house.

 Jemima, Daniella and Imogen led a seminar at Eton on Toxic Masculinity. Year 12 Leadership day—Chantelle, Jemima and Olivia on winning team   Chloe A was named MVP, coaches player and player of the day at her debut netball match 

 Lela was named as coaches player in netball too

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 Lily S completed her GCSE music assessment singing a stunning song - well done!  Kitty was named as MVP at her last netball match this season for HPC

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 Cate C was captain for Berkshire’s U14 girls - they won 2-0

Boarder of the week Chloe Adelaja. Chloe is a lovely girl who gets involved in all areas of boarding life. She comes down to the common room to spend time with the younger girls and helps them when they need it. Last weekend Chloe agreed to stand in as part of the netball team 5 minutes before they left and went on to be awarded the Most Valuable Player. This is the real spirit of boarding, getting involved at the last moment to help a team.

Inspiration of the week Shani Inniss talked to us about Rhianna:

Robyn Rihanna Fenty portrays strength, perseverance and and self-love. She strived through the many hardships of her childhood living in a low income household in Barbados to becoming the world famous singer and successful entrepreneur of Fenty Beauty that she is today. Through this she has been constantly giving back by donating to her mother, her country and many educational and hospital charities worldwide in hope that she can provide similar opportunities for others. She has been recognised for her achievements and contributions as “Ambassador of Barbados.” She continues to inspire people of the 21st century.

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DIXIT

FROM THE SPORTS FIELD

29th March 2019

Our Holyport Boys Five’s team took to the Five’s courts this week, competing in Shrewsbury at the under 14 National Championship. Well done to Tom Pendrich and Cameron Mobley who got through to the last 16. 

Our Senior A team finished joint 1st in 3 way tie in the end of season tournament, with 2nd overall on goal difference. They finished 3rd in the league. Well done Ladies. 

Both senior football teams made their league finals and came in second, along with one of the teams making the final next week after a nail biting game against The Forrest School.

Upcoming Fixtures Mon 1st

No Fixtures

Tues 2nd

Charters

Hockey

U14

Charters

16:30

17:00

Wed 3rd

U19 Cup Final

Football

U19

Bracknell

13:30

14:30

17:00

Thurs 4th

Under 16 Plate Final

Football

U16 Vs Waingels Bracknell

14:00

15:00

17:30

Fri 5th

No Fixtures 12

DIXIT

FROM THE REFECTORY

29th March 2019

Next week’s lunch menus Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Tandoori Chicken

Bacon Chops

Lasagne

Roast Turkey

Pasta, Soup & Jackets

Pasta, Soup & Jackets

Pasta, soup & Jackets

Pasta, Soup & Jackets

(v) Vegetable Bhaji

(v) Cheese & Vegetable Country (v) Quorn Fillet (v) Butternut & Spinach Lasagne Bakes

Basmati Rice Saag Aloo Pittas & Dips

Lyonnaise New Potatoes Mixed Vegetables

Garlic Bread Roast Mediterranean Vegetables

Roast Potatoes Carrots & Peas Cauliflower Cheese

Salads & Protein items

Salads & Protein items

Salads & Protein items

Salads & Protein items

Strawberry Jelly

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Marble Cake

Cheesecake

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Hot Dogs

Welsh Rarebit

Brunch

Fish Bar

Soup & Salad

(v) Quorn Hot Dogs

(v) Welsh Rarebit

Skinny Fries Boston Beans Fried Onions

Croquette Potatoes

Salads & Protein items

Salads & Protein items

Choc Ice

Cookie

Sausage & Bacon Eggs, Mushrooms Beans & Hash Browns

Pancakes

If you suffer from a food allergy or intolerance you are advised to consult with the Sodexo manager or head chef.

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DIXIT

FROM THE CALENDAR

29th March 2019

Some Dates for Your Diaries Friday 5th April—end of term 2.15pm (FoHC Hop Hop event) Tuesday 23rd April—Inset day Wednesday 24th April—start of summer term Saturday 11th May—FoHC Quiz Night

Our annual Easter Hop Hop Holyport event is next Friday 5th April – the last day of term. Come and celebrate with us while waiting for your offspring with a cup of tea from 2.15 (in the quad, weather permitting). Our hugely popular Easter Egg tombola for the students will be back and we are asking for donations of Easter Eggs to be left at Reception from now on please. So if you can slip a couple of eggs into your trolley this week and send them to school we would be extremely grateful.

All money raised from our events goes back into the school, recent purchases have been cricket nets for the Boys and Girls cricket teams, sewing machines for the art room, a dedicated work out gym within the sport’s hall and donations to both the Y11 and Y13 end of year Prom.

We hope to see you there!

Tomorrow is Inter-House Sport (Football and Netball) and we would love to see as many players and supporters here as possible. Everything is onsite and we will be starting from 9am. We are sure it will be a great morning full of Holyport spirit!!

Parents’ Evening Dates 2018/19

Reporting Dates

Year 7 and 8 parents’ evening: Monday 5th November 2018

Year 7/8/10 interim reports—18th January 2019

Year 11 parents’ evening: Wednesday 5th December 2018

Year 9 full reports—25th January 2019

Year 10 parents’ evening: Wednesday 6th February 2019

Year 11 mock exam reports—30th January 2019

Upper Sixth parents’ evening: Monday 25th February 2019

Year 13 mock reports—15th February 2019

Year 9 parents’ evening and GCSE options presentation: Wednesday 24th April 2019

Year 7-10 interim reports—8th March 2019

Lower Sixth parents’ evening: Wednesday

1st

Year 11 full reports—29th March 2019

May 2019

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