JCG Life Issue 14 March 2015 by Jersey College for Girls

JCG Life - Issue 14 March 2015

hours in similar schools, Year 11 9 hours and the Sixth form 11.3 hours compared to 8.7 hours for students in similar schools.

Dear Parents

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest” Benjamin Franklin

The Rathbones Financial Awareness Programme for schools – investing in the future of young people.

We spend many hours thinking, devising and planning opportunities to provide your daughter with stimulating, challenging and, hopefully, enjoyable experiences in order that she develops a considered and thoughtful understanding of herself. It is therefore essential for us to have feedback on the JCG experience.

And finally, 90% of students felt they knew and understand the values of JCG ‘Aspire, Inquire, Excel and Belong’. The response rate from the Parental survey was disappointingly low at 29.6%. However, we were told that meaningful data could be drawn. Thank you to those who did complete the survey. I can only hope that for those that didn’t, you are entirely satisfied with what we are doing.

To gain this feedback, we used an external provider to analyse the results of the comprehensive survey of the views of you and your daughter. This enabled us to have objectivity and comparison with similar schools in the UK and to be more efficient in undertaking the analysis and thinking about how we can continue to improve.

Parents gave an ‘excellent’ overall performance score of 83.6%.

So what did you and your daughter tell us about JCG? The response rate for students was 85.4%. The students gave an ‘excellent’ overall performance score of 81.2%. Areas rated as ‘Outstanding’: Feeling safe Exam results Developing potential Happiness of child Caring teachers School discipline Developing moral values Looking after students well Ensuring students do their best and make good progress Extra curricula activities Areas rated as ‘Good’: Community spirit Facilities Communication

For more details please contact

Other interesting comparisons include 46% of students commented that ‘parents often look at my work to see how well I am doing’ compared to 65% in similar schools. 87% of students stated that there was ‘somewhere where I can work in peace and quiet if I want to’.

College’s image in the local community Quality of College management Students’ attitude to learning Quality of feedback on students’ work E-safety Encouraging student activity in the local community

Availability of resources Quality of teaching Managing attendance

Developing confidence Control of bullying (though 85% reported as not being bullied or have seen bullying)

01534 740 550

Regular marking of homework Encouraging and listening to students’ views

Private clients

Professional advisers

Charities

Pensions

www.rathboneimi.com

Rathbone Investment Management International is regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission. 2

Level of Homework in Year 10 (60% felt they received too much)

Areas rated as ‘Good’: Looking after students well Encouraging students’ activity in the local community Parents evenings Ensuring students do their best and make good progress Encouraging and listening to students views

Regular marking of work Choice of subjects Caring teachers Community spirit Developing confidence Teaching quality School discipline Developing moral values Control of bullying Levels of Homework

There were no areas rated as ‘Attention advised’. I hope you find this useful. We have found it illuminating and essential in enabling us to continue to plan and improve. Personally, my most satisfying outcome is that both parents and students rated ‘happiness of child’ as outstanding. While sometimes a day, friendships, workload can bring their challenges, in the end, I believe, it is the sense of self which is most important. We are surrounded by young, bright, impressive young women discovering just that.

Areas rated as ‘Attention advised’:

Rathbone Investment Management International

Exam results School security School communication Availability of resources Computer access Developing potential Value for money Extra curricula activities E-Safety

Areas rated as ‘Room for improvement’: Quality of feedback on Careers advice in Year 11 students’ work

Areas rated as ‘Room for Improvement’:

Jonathan Giles, Phil Bain or Vaughan Rimeur on

Areas rated as ‘Outstanding’: Facilities Happiness of child Quality of College management Students attitude to learning College’s image in the local community Management of attendance

Careers advice in KS4 Access to computers Choice of subjects in KS4

The average number of hours spent on homework was 8.4 hours compared to 4.9 hours for similar schools. However, there was greater variation between years. Year 7 spend on average 4 hours per week, Year 8 5.8 hours per week, Year 9 5.8 hours, compared to 4.2 hours in similar schools, Year 10 12.8 hours compared to 4.8

Have a lovely Easter. Yours, Carl Howarth Principal

Year 12 Leadership and Teambuilding Skills Day Ella Williams, Year 12

To help us to develop our leadership and teamwork skills we had been working for several weeks in our Forms on activities for the Year 12 Leadership Day which took place at St Helier Town Hall. It was 8:30am on Friday 23 January when it all began. One hundred and seven eager students immaculately dressed in black, red and white, prepared themselves for an exciting, and highly competitive day of inspiring speeches and intense activities. It began with what I would describe as a truly inspiring speech from Rhys Jones, a young man with a passion for mountain climbing. Although we have heard many mountaineers speak in the past, it is easy to say that Rhys was truly on a different level. It was an awe-inspiring speech, and I can vouch for the fact that it was potentially the quietest hour and a half our year group has spent in a long time. After mentally climbing the seven highest peaks in the world alongside Rhys, we began our activities.

cups of tea and one (or maybe three) croissants and pain au chocolat, a huge thank you to Mrs Spiteri and Mrs Curtis for providing those. We then progressed on to possibly the most intricate game yet to exist, the famed ‘Austen Bartlett Marble Run’. After being given various pipe cleaners, toilet roll tubes and newspapers, our goal was clear; to get six marbles successfully into the cup on the floor. There was laughter and even some tears as Curie Fry hit a solid five/ six, taking them to first place. We then progressed onto Curie-Fry’s fantastic and structurally challenging bridge game, which involved creating a 30cm high bridge out of strawberry laces and breadsticks. With Austen Bartlett coming on top after being the only House that could actually keep their car up, it was time for lunch. We returned an hour later after having raided the M&S Cafe, ready for our final two games, leadership and teamwork

workshops led by Mrs Spiteri and Miss Wright and a talk from some of the current Student Leadership Team. The Head Girl, Deputy Head Girl, Prefects and House Captains spoke to give us an insight into what leading the school is like for them. For me, this was the most influential part of the day, as hearing genuine concerns and advice from students who we both admire and aspire to be like really allowed us to fully understand the responsibilities of being in the SLT.

Mrs Spiteri then outlined the Student Leadership Team application process, in which we were told exactly how and when we should apply for the various roles. It was at that point we realised how close we actually were to being the leaders of the school, it was then that the excitement really kicked in and some intense discussions on whether or not we should apply for Prefect or House Captain or Sports Captain or Music Captain or Eco Captain, ensued.

Inglis ‘balloon head’ game proved to be a challenge, with a very accurate Jack Sparrow interpretation, and a very interesting attempt at Miley Cyrus on a ‘wrecking ball’. We then moved into our final game, Nightingale’s ‘lyrics’. This involved holding up words to the lyrics of a song, and the poor House that ended up with ‘All about that Bass’ certainly ended up with sore arms.

At the end of the day, we all went home buzzing with excitement, ready to fill in our forms and send them on their way.

Learning and teaching beyond Jersey College for Girls Ms Batty, Coordinator of KS4 English As a member of the English Dept with a job share, I have been fortunate to pursue various interests beyond school life here in Jersey. After gaining a Distinction in my Masters of Teaching at the Institute of Education (UCL), I was approached to become an Associate Tutor on their Masters course. This has been a fascinating journey over the last 6 years supporting teachers across the globe as the Institute is widely recognised as one of the foremost trainers of teachers internationally. Recently as part of the Aga Khan’s 70th birthday bequest, a sizable sum was given to the Institute to train religious leaders to Masters level in an attempt to mitigate the rise of fundamentalism. This has given me a window into a range of classrooms stretching from India to Australia, Uzbekhistan, Canada, Pakistan and America where peace, tolerance and respect for all faiths is promoted. In addition, there has been a recent push by several UK local authorities to educate teachers to Masters level and this has resulted in my playing a part in assessing many School

While the teachers observed us, looking out for anyone who showed a good sense of leadership and team work, it soon became clear that our focus would not be on who could look like the best ‘facilitator’ but on who could win the most packets of Haribo. Our activities began with an intense game of scrabble created by Cavell, in which our knowledge of long words was thoroughly tested, and the Cavell Form members received multiple bribes for more vowels. We then continued on to charades, organised by Garett-Anderson, in which our mime skills really came into play while having to portray the apparently ‘common’ charade of ‘baked beans’, trust me, it’s harder than it sounds. We then had a break involving endless

Based Projects which offers an insight into the latest theories and research being undertaken by teachers around the country. Recently there has also been a significant uptake by teachers at newly founded corporate schools in Dubai and UAE at both Primary and Secondary level to educate their teachers to Masters level and again this has been fascinating to momentarily step inside a very different educational ethos. Finally, I have also been able to work in a number of capacities for various exam boards in the UK both at A level and GCSE. This has included being part of

the team developing the new 1-8 GCSEs being introduced next year and some of our girls here at JCG trialled the new style question papers which were then submitted to Ofqual for approval. I have now been offered a position taking a more extensive role in the examining process as part of the teams agreeing standards for both Literature GCSE and Language IGCSE. Whilst personally rewarding, I have no doubt that my work with both the Institute and the exam boards also enriches my teaching here in Jersey.

Geography Mrs Lumley; Mimi-Eloise Galvin, Year 8 & Tessa Azuelos, Year 7 We have had an excellent term in Geography. KS4 & 5 have been preparing for exams and field trips; our AS trip to Wales (physical) and Liverpool (human) departs end of February, and our IGCSE trip to Barcelona leaves in May, whilst KS3 have been getting fired up about local and global geographical issues. Year 7 have been considering settlement changes close to home with a project looking at the future of Fort Regent. They have been learning key geographical research skills, both primary (visiting the Fort to walk the historical tour, map land use and environmental quality, and completing questionnaires with members of the public on their viewpoints) and secondary (using their iPads and historical

History Mr Bidmead, Acting Head of Humanities Faculty Another busy term for the History Department with visiting speakers, on island visits and a trip to London for the Year 11 students. Immediately after their mock examinations 35 Year 11 students headed for London to buff up on their Medicine Through Time knowledge by taking part in a range of interactive and thought provoking sessions around London. Starting at the Science Museum students were given a walkthrough of ten thousand years of medical history viewing artefacts and dioramas that helped remind them of the chronology of the course. This was followed by a visit to the Florence Nightingale Museum and talks at the Palace of Westminster and Westminster

maps and photos to give context to their ideas). Their final reports will be presented to the Fort Regent planning team in a forum held just before Easter. Some students are extending their in-school learning to enter the International Women’s Academy engineering competition run by Year 12 Rachel Hayden with support from Dr Le Masurier which requires design of a sporting venue to replace the pre-existing swimming pool at the Fort.

Buildings

Excellent

Our Year 7 Geography class went on a trip to Fort Regent to study its history, due to the fact that we are working on a project on the redevelopment of the Fort. On the trip we went on the history tour, however, we didn’t have much time so we took pictures of the information and read them at home. We also looked at how the Fort was presented today. To do this whilst we were there we completed an environmental quality survey to complete a land use map. This is the environmental quality survey:

Good

Average

Poor

Design Clean

Here are some quotes from some of the students who went: Question - Did you like your trip to Fort Regent? 1st person - Yes, I thought the trip was inspiring for the Fort Regent project. 2nd person - I liked seeing the amazing historical photos.

Smell Amount of light

3rd person - Yes, because I like going to Fort Regent and I liked finding out about the history of the Fort.

Litter All being used

Abbey to highlight the importance of government and religion in leading to both progress and regress in medical developments through time. After an evening of leisure at the Westfield shopping centre the girls, suitably encumbered by purchases made using Christmas money, then visited the Old Operating Theatre where they participated in a re-enactment of a 19th Century amputation (no anaesthetic or antiseptic) and were vividly reminded of how lucky they are to live in a Western nation in the 21st Century. The final visit was to the Hunterian Museum where they had the opportunity to handle some surgical artefacts and study the collection of anatomical and surgical curios. After a busy two days the students returned home tired but well acquainted with the topics and themes required for their GCSE examination. They have worked very hard this year and we wish them all the best in their studies over the next few months. Following immediately on from this a small group of Sixth Form students attended the poignant Holocaust Remembrance Service to remember the 21 Jersey men and women

who died in German camps and prisons as well as the wider victims of the Holocaust. Many of the students attending found this particularly redolent as they had visited Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp and Auschwitz on last year’s Berlin and Krakow visit. Finally, the Department was lucky enough to host an Inquiring Minds lecture from Professor Christopher Read who spoke on this issue of Re-assessing Stalin. This thought provoking lecture from one of Britain’s leading academics led to much speculation on the nature of historical significance, the current crisis in Ukraine and the place of Stalin’s purges in the context of the Holocaust. The Department is very much looking forward to the visit of Sir Richard Evans on 13th March who is one of the world’s leading historians and also the later visits of Richard Bessel and Jo Fox who will be lecturing on Nazi Propaganda and the Racial State. As always we thank JICAS for their support in hosting these lectures.

4th person - I thought that the way the Fort had a tour and information all around was very good. This trip will be very useful for our Fort Regent project, because now we understand why it was built, how the uses have changed over time and how we can improve it.

Year 8 on the other hand have been focussing on the global concept of fair trade, tying in with Fair Trade Fortnight (23rd February - 8th March) and Jersey’s 10 year island celebration. The students were frustrated at how unfair international trade can be when they put themselves in the shoes of others during the trading game and shocked to see how many people were involved in the making of some of their favourite products. Fiji Water for example costs 60p to make and transport but is sold by a leading supermarket for £3.60! Mimi Eloise Galvin (Year 8) writes; ‘Fair Trade is an organisation which ensures fair prices between consumers and producers, better working environments and better terms and conditions’. To raise awareness of the importance of Fair Trade and encourage

people to shop more sustainably they have designed fair trade products and sold in a class sale (the photo is Charlotte Keywood’s completely fair trade chocolate symbol), run a whole school assembly and ‘selfie’ competition, entered posters into the island wide competition, and appeared on the radio discussing their opinions.

Psychology Miss Gomes, Psychology Teacher & Miss Sangan, Head of Psychology The Psychology department has had a very busy term so far. Miss Sangan joined the department and quickly took on the role as Head of Department, organising many events such as the return visit of Dr Guy Sutton, the Director of Medical Biology Interactive and Honorary Lecturer in Neuroscience at the University of Nottingham Medical School. The Psychology department were delighted to once again welcome Dr Guy Sutton who led a one-day tutorial investigating issues concerning the Brain, Neuroscience and Psychopathology. This annual event is a fantastic opportunity for the students to extend their learning beyond the syllabus and keep up to date with current thinking in these areas. This event took place on the 9th February for Year 12 students and on the 10th February for Year 13 students.

Cathy Cassidy Visit The tutorial gave students an informative and stimulating insight into the complex world of Neuroscience and Psychopathology. Students were introduced to the recent advances in science and the astonishing effects certain drugs can have on the brain via an interactive game involving some animated mice. The main focus of the morning however was of course the sheep brain dissection, which luckily (or more likely intentionally) was done before lunch. This interactive session involved students wearing blue latex gloves and passing around the brain, relating it to their own in no time, amid the typical squeals and outbursts, that is.

insight into statistics on local mental health issues, treatments and services in place, and the typical job duties of a Counselling Psychologist, such as risk assessments and psychometric testing. The talk also developed students’ understanding of how Counselling Psychologists plan and implement therapy, as well as success rates of several types of treatments. A2 psychology students have been learning about causes and explanations of dysfunctional behaviour, such as phobias, as part of their Health and Clinical Psychology unit. As a result of this, students found the talk very useful in extending their knowledge beyond that of the curriculum.

Students were also led through the history of classification of mental illness. Going as far back as witch hunts and the earliest mental asylums, highlighting the torment faced by people suffering from mental disorders in those days. This progressed onto how people are diagnosed today which led to discussions concerning certain disorders and the associated symptoms, including those students had previously not heard of, such as anxiety disorders, pain disorders, Parkinson’s and schizophrenia. As Dr Sutton has worked with many patients suffering from an array of disorders, he was well qualified to answer any questions the students posed.

These sessions are very popular with our students and demonstrate the uniqueness of an education at JCG. We advise all our students to attend and our door is very much open to any student in the Sixth Form who would find these talks of interest to them.

This term has also seen a series of sessions for the well-established Psychology Academy. Psychology Academy is an extra-curricular programme for A level psychology students in which a programme of speakers come into the school fortnightly on a Tuesday lunch time throughout the year. These sessions aim to extend students’ knowledge on relevant issues involved in psychology within the local community. One of the most notable sessions was delivered by Sharon Riva, a local Counselling Psychologist, who discussed her role, the range of referrals and kinds of problems people seek help for and, more specifically, working with phobias and work-related stress and how these problems might originate. This session gave students a fascinating

To support A2 Psychology students’ understanding of Forensic Psychology in everyday life, a visit to the Magistrate’s Court has been arranged for all students on Thursday 5th March 2015. This annual event (now in its ninth year) continues to be the highlight of the Forensic Psychology module and, in the past, the students have always thoroughly enjoyed their visit. Not only does the visit help the students to understand the text book theory in practice, but it also serves to widen their understanding of the diversity of issues that affect the local community. The students will be observing the morning court sessions and will also have behind the scene tours of the building to enable them to see first-hand the multi-disciplinary approach that is taken to help reduce re-offending in Jersey. The girls will also have the opportunity to meet Magistrates, who will discuss their roles and the variety of issues that they have to consider in the individual cases. The Psychology department anticipates a very busy morning at the Magistrates’ Court which will stretch the students and encourage them to ask thought provoking questions.

Georgia Drieu, Year 9 The students of JCG were enthralled to hear the world famous author Cathy Cassidy was visiting the school! I was particularly excited because as a personal fan of her books I wanted to know all about her journey to becoming an author. Upon her arrival, all of the girls piled into the hall where enthusiasm bounced off the walls. Cathy began her talk by saying that her favourite thing to do when she was at school was daydream – which definitely sparked everyone’s attention! Students laughed as she compared them to characters in The Chocolate Box Girls series and listened intently when she spoke of her careful research for the names and appearances of characters. Her visit instilled a sense of hope with everyone as she told them she wasn’t very good at English in school and all they had to do was daydream! Cathy also retold the story of never giving up when it came to her writing and how she was told ‘no’ so many times before she became a well-known author. When it came to the

questions section of the talk many people asked about how they could get their writing to be seen and Cathy introduced her writing blog, which allows anyone to post stories or thoughts freely. On the whole, it was a very interesting and compassionate talk from Cathy and the Students of JCG and other Jersey schools were enthused to listen to her words of wisdom.

Key Stage 5 English: ‘Skyping’ Shakespeare Mr Milner, KS5 English Coordinator On Monday 26th January, Year 13 English Literature students attended lectures delivered by academics working with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. The content covered was tailored to the WJEC examination specification our students follow at A2. These lectures were delivered over Skype thus opening up, to our full cohort of A Level students, a learning experience previously available only through an off-island trip.

The talks, supported by stimulating printed material and enlivened by question and answer sessions, made an invaluable contribution to our students’ engagement with Shakespeare. We hope to embed this provision in our future programmes of study.

Language Day Lucy de George, Year 9 On the 12th December 2014, the whole of Year 9 had an amazing experience which was ‘Language Day’. ‘Language Day’ consisted of a workshop run by people that used languages in their careers or at university. I first went to see Hattie who showed us a PowerPoint about celebrities who speak a second language; she told us that Mila Kunis speaks Russian; Shakira speaks Portuguese, English, Italian and Spanish; and Leonardo DiCaprio can speak German. Hattie encouraged us to always attempt to communicate with someone who speaks a foreign language; she said that people you meet will appreciate the fact that you tried your best. I then went on to speak to Miss Morris, Mrs Vernaglione, Mrs Renaud, Sixth Formers who are taking languages for A Levels, and Laura who is Spanish. Throughout the day I learnt different

ways to revise, such as finding funny ways to remember words. I also learnt how languages can help you to stand out when it comes to careers; and I was really intrigued when speaking to Miss Morris who spent time in Italy studying at University. This inspired me to consider studying languages at University so that I can travel and learn at the same time!

she could give us about learning a new language. She replied “Always guess when trying to talk or understand someone foreign. Even now, I’m not 100% sure that what I’m saying is answering your question. I listen out for words I know, and then try my best to make out what people are saying, and then I give my best answer.” I will try my best to remember that advice!

I also realised that learning a language will encourage you to travel and discover more about other countries’ cultures and the way they live in comparison to ours.

On the 26th January, the Language Faculty invited Mr John Harris, Director General of Jersey Financial Services Commission, Advocate Nina Benest, and Mrs Marianne Bougourd from Carey Olsen Law Firm to inspire our Year 11 students. They highlighted the important roles that foreign languages have played in advancing their careers and providing them with exciting opportunities. For example, linguists can expect to earn

French Joke

Can you say this? How quickly? What does it mean?

Que dit le pigeon dragueur à l’autre? « Tu veux prendre un vers ensemble ? »

“Il cuoco cuoce in cucina e dice che la cuoca giace e tace perchè sua cugina non dica che le piace cuocere in cucina col cuoco.”

“Pancha plancha con cuatro planchas. ¿Con cuántas planchas plancha Pancha?”

Mathematics and Art Workshops - 26 February

Students from Year 9 and Year 11 were treated to workshops with Simon Thomas, a sculptor. Simon takes his inspiration from nature and from mathematically described patterns.

The main thing that has remained in my head since the Language Day was when I asked Laura, who spoke Spanish, what is the best tip

up to 20% more than their monoglot colleagues and after medicine and law graduates, linguists are the most highly sought after employees in today’s international markets. Natalia Fortuna, a Year 13 student and our French Language Assistant, Sabrina Péru, also emphasised the vital role that languages have played in their lives. The students really enjoyed listening to these truly inspirational speakers who gave them food for thought when making their A level choices.

Spanish Tongue Twister

Mr Owens, Head of Mathematics

Year 11 Language Speakers Event Mrs J Vernaglione, Head of Language Faculty

Italian Tongue Twister

“One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.”

“Is mathematics a human construct?” asked Simon. “I believe that mathematics is intrinsic to the universe. Nature is opportunistic; it tries to fill the available space with a form that is as simple or as efficient as possible. As it does so, it produces patterns that have mathematical properties.” Inspired by Simon’s work, our Year 11 students made their own fractal sculptures out of clay. A fractal shape has a basic pattern that is repeated on many different scales. Snowflakes, flowers, ferns and trees are all examples of fractal geometry. “I wish we could do this in every Maths lesson. I love taking number and making something real out of it,” said Lucy (Year 11).

House Drama 2014 Miss Davies, Head of Drama House Drama this year was a very close competition and all six houses produced excellent pieces. The competition took place on Monday 1st and Tuesday 2nd December in the JCG Hall. The judges this year were Mr Kenan Osborne and Miss Victoria Cotter, both local actors and Miss Gabrielle Robbé, a local choreographer, actress and director. All three judges were hugely impressed by the standard of the entries and the scoring was very close at both the top and bottom of the rankings. Plays this year were very diverse and covered a range of subjects and issues. The first night saw entries from Austen Bartlett who performed excellently in Judith Johnson’s Scary Play, Curie Fry’s atmospheric version of The House of Bernarda Alba by Lorca and Cavell’s polished ensemble performance of Claire Dowie’s Adult Child, Dead Child. The second night saw Nightingale perform the moving play Hard to Swallow by Mark

Wheeller, Inglis created a very sad but festive version of The Little Match Girl by Laurie Brooks Gollobin and finally Garrett Anderson performed the very funny Womberang by Sue Townsend.

Results were as follows:

There were many awards up for grabs, not just the prize for the overall winner. There were three awards for acting. Best Actress was won by Isabelle Bougeard for Garrett Anderson for her performance in Garrett Anderson’s Womberang, Best Actress in a Supporting Role was Harley De Gruchy of Curie Fry for her role in The House of Bernarda Alba and Best Newcomer was won by Clara Baines of Year 7 for her performance in Hard to Swallow for Nightingale. Other awards were for Best Design and Visuals (Inglis The Little Match Girl) and Best Publicity (Nightingale Hard to Swallow). The special prize for direction – Jurat Sally Le Brocq OBE Prize for Best Director – was won by Molly Hamilton of Cavell for the amazing production of Claire Dowie’s Adult Child, Dead Child. This play was also awarded the cup for Best Play.

Inglis Garrett Anderson

1st Cavell

Joint 2nd

Joint 4th Austen Bartlett Curie Fry Nightingale

All three judges were hugely impressed by the standard of the entries and the scoring was very close at both the top and bottom of the rankings. 12

JCG Youth Theatre National Theatre Connections 2015 The Accordion Shop by Cush Jumbo Miss Davies, Head of Drama

National Theatre Connections is the biggest youth theatre festival on the planet JCG Youth Theatre’s production of The Accordion Shop is now well on its way to completion. The Accordion Shop is a play about the riots that took place in the UK in the summer of 2011 and centres on a London street called The Road. It is written in the style of documentary drama and physical theatre. The play is an ensemble piece and all our actors are confident movers. The theme of the piece is very thoughtprovoking. The boys and girls have distinct individual characters but collectively they are a mob, and this mob does some terrible things. The play raises lots of questions about community, responsibility and peer pressure.

It is massively challenging but we think we have the right cast for the job! The cast is as follows: Boy:

Mica Young, Laura Price, Lucy De La Cour, Flora Leather, Olivia Jones, Ellie Harris and Daisy McAllister Girl: Jasmine Box, Tirion Jones, Elsa Swetenham, Hollie Price, Georgie Gilmour and Jessica Donoghue Police Officer: Lauren Sanders Older Lady: Cerys Fearn Mister Ellody: Giselle Love News Reporter: Jessica Garton Teacher: Maya Shobbrook Walton

We have tried to be as creative as possible in our interpretation and hope that the performances will make people reflect on the subject matter of the piece as well as the themes of collective responsibility and community. The cast has been really dedicated and we also have a small team of technical experts, led by Mr Crespel and Mrs Crowcroft. These students will be operating lighting, sound and media in the performances as well as helping to design the set that will be used both at school and in Bristol. Performances will take place on Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 March 2015 at 7.30pm in the JCG Hall. Tickets are now on sale in the JCG Office and cost £8.00 for adults and £6.00 for students and concessions. Booking forms are available at the office. We would love to see a full house for both of these shows. Psyche Stott from the National Theatre will watch the Wednesday performance and speak to the cast and crew afterwards before writing her show report. The festival performance at the Bristol Old Vic Studio is on Thursday 26 March 2015 at 8.30pm. Tickets for this performance can be booked online at tickets@bristololdvic.org.uk

Music News Mrs Le Feuvre, Head of Music

Harp Tuition

Bold as Brass workshop with Paul Archibald

Thanks to the Extended Music Programme for Strings managed by our Musician in Residence, Gerard Le Feuvre, JCG’s harpist, Emily Bridson in Year 9 has received tuition with visiting tutor Kate Ham. Emily is pictured here with Kate and local amateur harpist Jane Horsfall.

Ankita Sharma, Year 7 A little while ago on the 30th January, Paul Archibald came to JCG to help out with Bold as Brass. This was an exciting opportunity, due to his renowned musical skills, which could help our ensemble. Although there was a bit of tension at first, after a small crisis (his flight was delayed), it was great to get started, and we began to show him what we had been working on this term. As we played our way through Grease, as well as a few other pieces, he began to pick each section apart, and improve our playing individually, and most importantly, as a team. It was amazing afterwards, to hear the difference, and also good to know we had it in us. Hopefully, he thought so too! Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and something we’d love to do again; some of us will do just that, as we are going to a brass and percussion course in a few weeks’ time.

String Jamboree: Friday 27 February & Saturday 28 February

PwC Jersey Young Musician of the Year Competition 2015 Congratulations to all JCG musicians who took part in the recent section heats for this competition. They were: Strings: Katie Bastiman and Emilie Edelenbos; Woodwind: Charlotte Arthur, Tallulah Rogers, Ellysia Spears and Lauren Trachy, Voice: Laura Clark, Jessica Garton, Rachel Hayden, Olivia Jones, Laura Moll and Kristyna Wharton; Piano: Esther Cushen. Special congratulations to Rachel Hayden for winning the vocal section competition; we wish her the very best of luck for her performance in the final on Saturday 21 March.

Inquiring Minds Lecture on Female Composers: Wednesday 25 February 2015 Inspired by our Women of Substance day on Friday 6 March our Composer-InResidence, Toby began by highlighting a number of statistics regarding female composers, such as the shocking fact that is it possible to go through GCSE and A level Music, plus grades 1-8 on an instrument, without ever encountering a piece written by a woman. He went on to suggest illuminating reasons why this has historically been the case, and showed how the situation is currently changing. It was particularly fascinating to hear the work of a number of exciting and diverse female composers spanning from the 12th century to the present day, and wonderful to see this issue of gender inequality in musical composition being addressed head on. We can certainly feel proud at JCG to be generating a large number of budding composers, who were certainly motivated and inspired by this talk.

Our string players have their annual opportunity to work with members of the Kings Chamber Orchestra towards a concert performance of Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi and Bach in Halkett Place Evangelical Church, St Helier. This concert marks the re-opening of this remarkable building after an extensive renovation by the Christian Portuguese Mission and will be attended by the Bailiff and the Chief Minister among other dignitaries.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY: Summer Concert on Wednesday 6 May at 7.30pm Preparations for our summer concert are well underway. Various bands, choirs and ensembles started rehearsing in January and have now settled into a weekly practice routine. We extend a warm invitation to the concert to all parents and friends and look forward to an entertaining evening. To defray costs (music hire and refreshments), please note that this will be a ticketed event. Tickets (limited to 400) will be available to purchase from the main school office from the start of next term, priced £6 for adults and £4 for concessions. Please make cheques payable to JCG General Fund.

Composers’ Concert: Monday 29 June at 7.30pm This special concert will celebrate original compositions which our students have created this year, many under the guidance of our Composer-In-Residence, Toby Huelin. Spanning a diverse range of musical styles and influences, and involving students from across the years, this is an exciting opportunity to explore some of the music that has been created by students over the past year at JCG. The concert will incorporate live performances of A Level and GCSE pieces, plus music that stems from the Composing Workshops and Songwriting Club. House Music 2015 At the time of writing we are poised to enjoy a week of house music classes. There will be lunchtime Junior Vocal and Instrumental solo classes on Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 March respectively, and on Thursday 12 March at 7.30pm the evening event will feature the Senior Vocal and Instrumental Solos and the Ensemble Class. All parents and friends are warmly invited and there will be a retiring collection in support of our house charities. With the original composition class currently being adjudicated, rehearsals are intensifying in preparation for the final class – the House Choir - on the last afternoon of this term, Friday 27 March. The results of all of the house music classes will be announced at the House Choir event and will be included in the next edition of JCG Life. Senior Concert Band Sincere thanks to all SCB members for the excellent attendance at this term’s Sunday rehearsals. They have been very productive and worthwhile and we look forward to performing the repertoire we have prepared in the Summer Concert on 6 May.

Biology Discussion Question Mrs Wright, Head of Biology

In Year 11, students study two different but linked topics, reproduction and cloning. The link may not appear obvious. However, the controversial topic of reproductive cloning unites the two. Reproductive cloning is the production of a genetic duplicate of an existing organism. A human clone would be a genetic copy of an existing person. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is the most common cloning technique. SCNT involves putting the nucleus of a body cell into an egg from which the nucleus has been removed. This produces a clonal embryo, which is triggered to begin developing with chemicals or electricity. Placing this cloned embryo into the uterus of a female animal and bringing it to term creates a clone, with genes identical

to those of the animal from which the original body cell was taken. This is the type of cloning studied in IGCSE Biology. More than eighteen cloned mammals have been produced with SCNT, but claims by rogue scientists to have cloned a human child have been false. New techniques, such as the derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells via cellular reprogramming, suggest other potential methods of reproductive cloning. Human reproductive cloning is almost universally opposed. Overwhelming majorities reject it in opinion surveys. Many international agreements and countries (though not the United States) formally prohibit it. Some oppose reproductive cloning because of safety considerations. Animal cloning is seldom successful, and many scientists believe that reproductive cloning can never be made safe. Human reproductive cloning would also threaten the psychological well-being of cloned children, open the door to more powerful

genetic manipulation technologies, and raise other social and ethical concerns. In order to help your daughter to consider the link between these two areas of study in IGCSE Biology, you may wish to discuss the future of reproductive cloning as a way of helping couples with fertility problems as an alternative to IVF. In 2010 (the year for which the most recent data is available) women having in vitro fertilisation (IVF) using fresh embryos created with their own fresh eggs, the percentage of cycles started that resulted in a live birth (national averages) was: 32.2% for women aged under 35 27.7% for women aged between 35–37 20.8% for women aged between 38–39 13.6% for women aged between 40–42 5.0% for women aged between 43–44 1.9% for women aged 45 and over

Atomic Confusion

Physics

Mr Braithwaite, Head of Chemistry

Mr Sykes, Head of Physics

In year 7 your daughter has been learning about the structure of an atom. Ask her if she can help you find the mistakes in the following paragraph. Atoms consist of three types of particles called elections, productions and nations. The centre of the atom is called the nautical. Nations and productions are in the nautical and the elections are in bells around the outside. The first bell can hold tent elections and the next bells hold egg elections each, in this arrangement: 2,8,8. The elections have a nice charge. The productions have a posh charge. The nations are nomadic – this means that don’t have a charge. In an atom, the number of elections equals the number of productions, meaning the overall charge on an atom is zealous.

Joke for Year 10 and above

NaCl NaOH The base is under assault (a salt!) Ha, ha, ha!

JCG & O3B. The Year 12 Physics class and invited guests held a round table meeting with representatives from O3b a fibre-opticspeed satellite internet company. We heard how they raised over a billion dollars to launch a network of satellites providing fast internet connectivity to remote locations.

These success rates are low. Could reproductive cloning offer an alternative and provide childless couples with a new opportunity to raise a family?

Building the Future Rachel Hayden, Year 12 In January, I launched the project Building the Future, Shaping our World through the International Women’s Academy, to increase awareness of careers in engineering for girls both locally and globally. In September, Dr Le Masurier introduced the school to the International Women’s Academy, a global non-profit organization that promotes women empowerment in science, technology and business. I not

only saw this as an opportunity to promote a subject that I am passionate about but a chance to develop my business and leadership skills. Through running the project, I have had to meet with Directors of companies, speak at various school assemblies and be interviewed live on local radio. Although at first these tasks seem daunting, the project has helped be grow in confidence and become a better leader. Building the Future, Shaping our World is a global female engineering competition for girls aged 11-18. In the Jersey section of the competition, individuals and teams of up to four people have to design a sports venue for the derelict Fort Regent swimming pool site.

The winning team will receive four iPad Mini 3’s, four tickets to the opening ceremony of the Jersey Island Games 2015, present their design to the States Assembly and automatically be entered into the global competition. The competition is kindly being sponsored by Le Masurier, a local property asset company. For the global competition girls aged 11-18 in teams of up to 6 people have to design a sports venue for their local area.

The panel of judges include Jersey Chief Minister Senator Ian Gorst, Steve Bailey Games Director of the Jersey Island Games 2015, Becky Slater former JCG student who is now a Civil Engineer at Arup, Dr Jon Hare an Engineering Professor at Southampton University, John Rogers Chief Officer of Transport and Technical Services and Brian McCarthy, Managing Director of Le Masurier. The first insight I had into engineering was aged 15, when my Physics teacher, Mr Sykes, encouraged me to enter the Channel Island Group of Engineers GCSE competition. I not only learnt a lot completing the challenge but enjoyed it too and my bridge

made of pasta ended up winning! If I had never entered that competition two years ago, I don’t think I would have thought of engineering as an exciting career and be considering studying civil engineering at university now.

An engineer has to be logical, yet creative, mathematical and a good team player. The other exciting thing about engineering is that it’s such a broad industry, from civil to environmental, mechanical to aeronautical, acoustical to chemical the list goes on.

During a recent radio interview, the presenter pointed out that lots of boys would probably want to enter the competition but questioned whether girls would be as interested? The fact is, that at school girls are already taught many of the skills required to be an engineer through subjects like science, maths, design and technology, ICT, art, geography etc... They just don’t realise it!

I launched the competition as I believe it is a fun and exciting way for girls to get an insight into engineering and raise awareness in this field. More information about the competition can be found on the website www.iwa-building-the-future.com or on our Facebook page Building the Future, Shaping our World. If people have any further questions they can email me at rachel.hayden@iwa-building-the-future.com

3D Printer

Anne Kelly Textile Art Workshop

Personal Experience at A2 Stephanie Skiming, Year 13 3D Printing – Has revolutionised product design

Product design has been developed rapidly due to the invention and commercial use of 3D printers, alongside Computer Aided Design (CAD), as a form of Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM). The use of CAD and CAM have revolutionised product design, such that it is now possible to batch produce or even continuously manufacture identical products of a more complicated design, less expensively, using less materials, and more quickly. Designers can experiment with 3D design using CAD, and then simply print it into solid form. 3D printing creates lightweight, safe and robust products, complex or simple depending on the choice of the designer. A2 Project – Collapsible Beach Trolley My A2 Product Design project is a collapsible trolley which will aid the carrying of heavier loads to the beach, especially if the user has children to look after as well, or lots of bags such as a parasol or a picnic. I have relied on the use of our CAD program ‘Solidworks’ and our Denford 3D printer to create stabilising joints on the frame of the product.

I have found the 3D Printing process very useful, both during the design development phase and the manufacture of my working prototype. To develop and manufacture the ABS plastic joints to connect the frame together, all I needed to do was place pieces of the aluminium frame together to measure the angle and overall size of each joint, and then simply design in CAD the exact piece required for each joint, down to several decimals of a millimetre in accuracy. I was then able to print off the piece quickly and very easily, making identical copies if I need to. I was also able to very easily adjust measurements or edit the design of each piece I make using CAD and quickly re-print the modified and improved piece. I found 3d printing simple and very practical for working on a design in progress! Manufacturing my prototype – 3D printer produces parts quickly The 3D printer is also incredibly helpful just due to the fact that it works quickly and without supervision. I can set the printer to make a piece, after I have designed it on CAD, and it takes only 40 minutes to create each part. If I didn’t have a 3D printer to do this, the process would take me hours to make several identical parts; cutting them by hand, making lots of small pieces to be joined together just to create the one piece that the printer makes as a single unit. Alternatively, I could try welding or drilling through the metal frame, using far more energy than the 3D printer for an equivalent part to join the components of the frame of my project. Not only can I save time and effort, I am actually able to work on another part of the manufacture of the project simultaneously to the 3D printing process. This means that the parts I need are created, seemingly instantly and effortlessly.

A valuable experience in CAD and 3D printing 3D printing is now used in a wide range of industries; industrial design, motoring, aerospace, military, engineering, dental and medical industries, fashion and education to name a few. Some super car manufacturers have begun to consider the use of parts to be used in the engine made from 3D printed titanium, fashion industries have designed jewellery or even footwear which is 3D printed. However, the industry which I believe has benefitted from 3D printing the most so far would be the medical and surgical industry. 3D prosthetics and even bones can now be 3D printed, helping people to recover more easily; one example is a lady from the Netherlands who had a 3D printed jaw replacement and can now eat, speak and has almost entirely recovered. 3D printing of titanium hip replacements, as well as the 3D printing of hearing aids and dental products, is also being used more widely. It is also now possible to use 3D printing in the formation of tissue and organs; a 3D printed frame is created and tissues are grown on it to be used in transplants. Vets are also able to help in the rehabilitation of injured animals, creating new limbs or exoskeletons. After my experience with using CAD and the 3D printer, I can honestly say that with a little more understanding and further improvements many industries will find this method of manufacture potentially essential to the manufacture of intricate details in identical products and parts. While 3D printing is relatively in its infancy, I have found the experience of learning and understanding the uses and how 3D printing is applied to product design in this age very valuable.

Mrs Padidar, Textiles Teacher Year 11 GCSE Textile students have a great opportunity coming up to work with an established textile artist Anne Kelly. Anne Kelly is coming in to JCG on the 4th March to run a workshop teaching print making, machine embroidery, sketchbook work, dyeing and collaging. For the students to have an opportunity to work with established artists it allows them to extend their skills and knowledge of textiles. They will complete a method or technique taught, and each student comes away with a finished work of art that will enhance their current coursework. This gives the students a feeling of mastery and accomplishment. Not only

have they learned something new but they have also something to show for it. Anne collects recycled fabric, paper and ephemera using collage, stitch, photographic and print processes to create a range of work, most of which is framed. Her inspirations are travel, memory and vintage imagery from a variety of sources. These have been described as ‘small worlds’ and her current layered mixed media work started life as mainly botanical in subject matter before developing into larger more narrative works. She teaches a range of levels of ability and is guest tutor at Jersey Textile Showcase, artist in residence at Sussex Prairies Garden in 2014 and is

exhibiting at the internationally renowned ‘World of Threads Festival’ in Canada.

Shelter Trust for the Homeless Mrs De Louche, Head of HE Food & Nutrition This year’s Soup Kitchen took place in the Royal Square on Tuesday 2nd December 2014 and raised £11,400 for homeless Islanders. Prior to the event many students and staff at JCG kindly donated ingredients to the HE department to make approximately 200 litres of Sweet Potato, Chilli and Coconut Soup. On Monday the 1st December a team of Sixth Form students arrived at 7.45am to begin the mammoth task of peeling all the vegetables. GCSE Food & Nutrition students completed the task of making the soup later that morning.

On the day a team of sixteen students helped the Shelter Trust to serve soup to members of the public. There was a wonderful festive atmosphere in the Royal Square on the day, despite the persistent heavy rain showers. Now in its 16th year, the event attracted a steady stream of customers all morning - the first arriving at 9.30 am, an hour before the event even opened! We were delighted to see that our soup was one of the first to sell out by 12.30 pm and we are looking forward to next year’s event already. Richard Robins, organiser of the event, sent the following message “what a fantastic job the girls did this year, hardworking and

cheerful they really made a difference. We had another amazing success....£11,400.... despite the awful rain and wind which made bread serving a bit tricky at times! Please pass on our sincere thanks to all of them. I hope you’ll have a team for us next year”. Thank you very much to everyone who donated ingredients to the HE Department, peeled vegetables or came along to the Royal Square to serve soup. You have all helped the Shelter Trust make this year’s Soup Kitchen such a great success.

HE Masterclass with Longueville Manor’s Executive Chef

Rotary Young Chef of the Year Competition

Mrs De Louche, Head of HE Food & Nutrition

Alice Paul, 10GA Megan, India and I took part in the Rotary Young chef of the Year Competition 2015. Our challenge was to prepare a three course meal for two people in the space of two hours, all for under £15. Firstly, we had to decide what we were going to cook. After much deliberation I decided to make Goats’ cheese and onion tarts for my starter; chicken stuffed with peppers, spring onions and sausage meat with roast vegetables for my main; and lemon posset with shortbread and berry compote for my dessert. Megan also came up with her recipe, deciding to make seared scallops on a bed of leeks for her starter; apricot and cumin stuffed pork with potatoes and asparagus for her main; and for her dessert chocolate melt-in-the-middle puddings with raspberry couli sauce. India made a Cheese soufflé followed by a goat’s cheese, butternut squash and spinach risotto and for dessert she made a platter of modern cannelloni.

On Wednesday the 4th February we were very fortunate to have Andrew Baird, Executive Chef at Longueville Manor, visit College to do a masterclass on fish cookery with our Yr 10 HE Food and Nutrition students. Andrew has recently published his book on Fish Cookery and he is very passionate about using fish as an ingredient in his restaurant menus. He brought along a variety of fish, many of which are found in local waters and he went on to show students how to create six wonderful recipes. Andrew also demonstrated the versatility of fish and the many different ways it can be cooked, e.g. poaching, grilling, shallow frying and baking. All of the dishes Andrew prepared also had wonderful sauces and accompaniments. Overall, the masterclass was very inspirational and has certainly given our students something to aspire to when they start their controlled assessment work later this term. We are very grateful to Andrew for giving up his time to come in to College and for providing this fantastic opportunity for our students.

We then had to ensure that we could buy all the ingredients we needed for under £15 pounds. After altering our recipes slightly we had managed to ensure the cost of our ingredients were

within the price limit. The morning before the competition we laid out all our equipment for when the judges and other competitors arrived. Beforehand, we were quite nervous however when the competition began we completely forgot about our nerves and focused on performing to the best of our ability. We had just two hours to prepare our dishes, under the watchful eyes of the judges and the photographer from the JEP. Overall, the competition was thoroughly enjoyable and although there were various mishaps on the day it was an experience none of us will forget. All photographs are courtesy of The Rotary Club of Jersey

Creative writing This term 10 students from Key Stage 3 had the pleasure of working through a six week creative writing programme with Mrs Pippa Le Quesne. Mrs Le Quesne started her career as publicity assistant in 1996 at Bloomsbury where she was lucky enough to be working when the first two Harry Potter books were published. She moved on through her career to become the Commissioning Editor at

Puffin. At Puffin she worked with the likes of Carol Ann Duffy, Linda Chapman and Roger Mc Gough to name just a few. For the past ten years Mrs Le Quesne has worked freelance and more recently she has been working on creative writing in schools. Nearly 7 Key stage 3 students applied to participate in the programme and they produced a piece of detailed creative writing about their favourtie place. The

lucky 10 were chosen for their work and Mrs Le Quesne was very excited to be working with the girls. The students enjoyed an array of activities and immersed themselves in a vast collection of different books, genres and styles. They completed individual pieces of creative writing and thoroughly enjoyed the programme. Mrs Le Quesne is now commencing her second 6 week course with a new group of Key Stage 3 students.

Changing Perspectives

Sport

Is immigration becoming Europe’s dirty word?

Squash

Daniella Gingell, Year 13

Beth Garton, Year 9

Daniella began a series of talks in assembly called Changing Perspectives. Each talk is to last about 7 minutes. Any student in the College can volunteer to speak. This is the script from Daniella’s speech.

Beth Garton, Year 9, has recently participated in three squash competitions: In the first she was picked to represent the Southwest of England in the Regional Team Championships where she won 3 of her 4 matches and the team placed 3rd overall. In the second Beth went to the outskirts of Manchester where she won the Fairways Lodge Under 17 Girls Open after winning all her matches. Lastly she played in the Jersey Squash & Racketball Club Ladies Championships where she won in the final to claim the title.

Year 10 and 11 Netball tournament Miss Langford, PE Teacher Jersey College for Girls played in the Year 10 tournament at Hautlieu and won all six of their games. The first game against Beaulieu they found challenging due to the hard weather conditions. However, the girls demonstrated some good short and safe passing to put them in the lead. All the girls played well as a team, showing good communication and leadership skills throughout the tournament.

Beth has got quite a lot lined up in the next few months as she will be playing a competition in Bowdon, Manchester followed by two events here in Jersey where she hopes to improve on her Girls Under 17 National Ranking. Beth, who is 14 years of age, is also pleased to be representing Jersey in the Adult European Team Championships, which take place in Slovenia this April.

Year 11 Jersey College for Girls Netball team, also won all of their five games in the tournament at Hautlieu, winning the Trophy for a second year running. They all played well together as a team, showing a high level skill and tactical play. Year 10 and 11 Netball teams have two remaining fixtures against; Le Rocquier and Haute Vallee to finish the school league. Some of the girls may also be selected to play against Guernsey Grammar School and Guernsey Ladies College, in our annual fixture in March.

Pictured: Beth started her busy year with a training session with current World Open Squash Champion, Laura Massaro who came to Jersey to train with Nick Taylor – the head coach at the Jersey Squash & Racketball Club.

“Aya doesn’t die” When I first watched this documentary I cried. The concept that all a five year old girl can hope for is survival seems astonishing. Aya is not only a victim of war, but of poverty and social stigmatisation. Her fight for safety and freedom, like many other Syrian refugees is relentless. In my eyes, I see a child who has been failed by the international community. I’m sure images and videos of children suffering and parents pleading is not uncommon to you. In today’s media our news is mainly dictated by what is occurring in the Middle East. Therefore our perception of this conflict is governed by the horrific images played out across the world. My interest in refugeesism first stemmed from a recent trip to Jordan, where I visited my family who live there. Having been nearly every summer since the age of four, my love and passion for the country never ceases to amaze me. However, during last summer’s visit I noticed something had changed. The country was far more overcrowded than usual and general conversation reverted back to its increasing pressure to house the influx of refugees fleeing Syria, and immigrating to Jordan in order to seek safety. Times were changing and the apparent strains on Jordan’s public services were beginning to show. If you can imagine the entire population of Germany - which is 80 million people - being uprooted to America over the space of merely 3 years, really demonstrates the magnitude of this net outward migration - which almost seems incomprehensible. To be perfectly

honest, before I went to Jordan and actually witnessed the toll the conflict had taken, I had little desire to want to learn more about it. I saw the conflict on the news, felt incredibly sympathetic towards these people, however, I was in Jersey and they were thousands of miles away. There was nothing I could do, apart from donate money here or there to help send aid for them. My perception on refugeesism greatly changed one summer evening. Whilst at a restaurant with my family, a woman with a young child hung to her hip and another child standing behind her with her passport in hand, came up to my family begging for money. The child was wearing a dress riddled with holes and had a face that was covered with dust and mud. This is not an uncommon scene for many Arabic families, so much so that children are taught in schools not to give to the refugees, as they are ‘supposedly’ given aid by Non-Governmental Organisations. Once the mother left our table, she swiftly moved to the table adjacent to ours, which was holding a birthday party for a group of girls, roughly around the age of 15. Once the girls gave money to the mother and child, they took a photo with the girl, posing as if the child was a prize - a symbol of their acts of generosity. This initially sparked outrage in me as I felt they were taking advantage of the young girl. When I glanced over at the table, the look of humiliation filled the young girl’s eyes. This to me was the pivotal moment when my views drastically changed. This crisis does not just affect those who neighbour it, this crisis affects us globally. It is our generation’s job to look for effective ways of alleviating the misery that has been casted on to these people, for if we don’t, immigration levels globally will increase, consequently causing disastrous political and economic downfalls. As Thierry- Mehdi Benlashsen, a regional emergency coordinator, brilliantly puts it “ This crisis might appear more complex in political terms, but it is dramatically simpler in humanitarian ones.” When talking politics in the Middle East, it can often be seen to be opening a can of worms. When talking about refugeesism in the Middle East, it can be compared to opening a can of maggots - far worse and far more complex. This crisis has been described by the United Nations as “the biggest humanitarian crisis since World War 2,” yet why isn’t more being

done? In June, the UN launched its largest ever humanitarian appeal for $5 billion to support the Syria crisis, but yet it has only reached 36% of the money required. So far, there are merely 118,722 refugees in Europe, this number will continue to rise if more is not done. Immigration levels are already feared among many European politicians due to the lack of jobs and declining economies. Therefore adequate funding needs to be put in place in Syria’s neighbouring regions in order for ‘informal’ cities to be formed, enabling these countries to cope with the ever increasing population rise. By creating informal cities, a degree of sustainability can be achieved, thus reducing the strain on the economy and public services. This concept is currently being trialled in the Zatarri camp located in Jordan and, so far, has proven successful. Statistics show that 86% of refugees are currently residing in the developing world, something which I feel is remarkable. Although many of these countries such as Lebanon and Turkey are dealing with substantial economic and political issues of their own, they still continue to accommodate as many people as they can, with the aim to keep their borders open. Many European politicians argue that “Europe is full up - we don’t want those people”. However, I feel that we could learn a great deal from those countries that have offered a tremendous level of generosity, yet continue supporting these people with little recognition of their enormous efforts to help the apparent ‘invisible people.” I believe that whilst living in Europe the privileges we have, such as the ability to travel to 173 of the world’s nations without applying for a visa, demonstrates our level of freedom in comparison to those of Syrian nationals who are only able to travel to 44 countries visa free, really shows the little options we leave these people. Immigration is inevitable not just in Europe, but throughout the world. Nevertheless I would like you to consider this: what made people move? What drove them there? And given the situation, would you do the same? Think carefully before you make a judgement.

House Carol singing

Cavell Auction

Rowan Pilley and Rebecca Moyse, Year 13

Nanneke Boxall and Chloe Butel, Year 13

Despite the rain and the cold, the annual JCG Christmas Carol Singing brought plenty of festive cheer to King Street, raising money for all of the fantastic causes that the house system supports as well as the Jersey Arts Centre charities. The enthusiasm and commitment which the students demonstrated was an outstanding example of the sense of belonging which not only house, but JCG provides and was shared with the Island community, whose generosity helped us continue our support of such worthy causes. In total we raised £514.14 and plenty of Christmas spirit!

After much preparation, our annual Cavell Auction took place on Thursday 27th November 2014. The entire house joined together to make the event a huge success. Years 7 along with Year 12 were in charge of the cake sale on the night, satisfying the appetites of our generous bidders. Year 8 ran the popular bottle tombola stall with some high-end shampoo and bottle-shaped candles to be won. Year 9 and 11 lead the sale of the raffle tickets running up to the event; prizes including an iPod shuffle drew in the crowds. In house meetings leading up to the Auction, posters were made to advertise our fundraiser and hampers were organised. Year 13 had the exciting job of managing the bidding paddles and Year 10 gave a great presentation on our house charities and the work they will do with the money raised. With a whack of the hammer, Mr Timothy, our auctioneer,

House Drama

got the ball rolling! The bidding soon became fierce with lots including a ukulele, a sailing trip and a signed Henry Cavill photo. Mrs Silvestri-Fox and Mr Milner’s mathematical brains were put to the test as the bids were coming in! We were so honoured to welcome a past House Captain who held the first ever Cavell Auction and was proud to see its continuation. Overall, what was both a thrilling and entertaining night was also a tremendously successful in raising funds for our charities. We raised a total of £2600 which we are overwhelmed by and know will support the worthwhile efforts of Jersey Children’s Charity and Hope and Homes for Children. We as house captains are so thankful to everyone involved, teachers, students and businesses who donated lots. Without the charitable donations of these people, the Cavell Auction could not happen.

Austen-Bartlett Year 7 Disco Vicky Youngs and Nicole Le Rougetel, Year 13 This year, our annual Austen-Bartlett disco was bigger and better than ever. I think everyone will agree with us that it was a fun night had by all. Unlike previous years, we decided to have a Christmas disco, rather than in the usual Halloween time, and thanks to our year seven and twelve helpers, we covered the hall head to toe in snowflakes and other festive decorations. Due to tickets, drinks and cake sales and our fun manicure stand, this event managed to raise an amazing amount of over £400 for our extremely worthwhile charities: Jersey Hospice and the Juniper Trust. Jersey Hospice is one of Jersey remarkable local charities that helps give support and care for life-threatening illnesses, which our house learnt all about earlier on in this year when we were visited by Tracey Fallon who highlighted the amazing work that our

fundraising helps to facilitate. The Juniper Trust is a charity that has close connection with our school, and our geography teacher Mrs Mansell. The charity helps to build orphanages, schools and other vital infrastructure in less fortunate communities across the globe, such as Nepal, India and Kenya. We were so glad that we could raise this much money to such worthy causes. It was great to see so many year sevens having such a great time socialising with Victoria College. We were also glad to have help from a few of the Victoria College prefects, who I think had just as much fun as the younger students!

leaving House Captains and directors with some difficult decisions to make. After learning lines, blocking scenes and many rehearsals, the plays began to come together. Having completed their dress rehearsals during the day it was up to Austen-Bartlett, Curie-Fry and Cavell to set the bar on the first night of performances. The standard was maintained on the second night with some fantastic plays from Nightingale, Inglis and Garrett-Anderson. With a vast array of plays, on the relevant subjects of anorexia and mental health, the audience were presented with some difficult topics. Other houses presented examples of comical genius with young actresses humouring the audience. After the judges’ positive comments on each play, the results were revealed. 1st place went to Cavell with ‘Adult Child, Dead Child’, joint 2nd to Garrett Anderson with ‘Womberang’ and to Inglis with ‘The Little Match Girl’. Best director went to Cavell’s Molly Hamilton, Best Actress to Isabelle Bougeard in Garrett-Anderson and Best Newcomer to Clara Baines in Nightingale. All in all, the presentation of such high standards of drama demonstrates the hard work put in to the competition and the talent that the girls have. What is for sure is that the girls really played their part for their House.

Nanneke Boxall and Chloe Butel, Year 13

6 weeks of preparation. 6 plays. 3 judges. 2 nights. Only 1 winner. The competition began in October, where after careful consideration, houses chose their plays that would be worked to perfection before the final performance in early December. Auditions were held to cast parts,

It is fair to say that the highlight of this event would have to be everyone dancing together to the Macarena, which is a memory that we will hold for a long time, perhaps even a highlight of our whole time as house captains. I’m not sure who enjoyed this more, the year sevens, or the teachers! We would like to take this as an opportunity to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped us make this event as amazing as it was, in particular Mrs Mansell and Mr Haine. Thank you to everyone who came along, and we hope that this event will have just as much success in the furture.

House Inglis Bingo Laura Costard, Year 13 Earlier in the academic year, my fellow House Captain and I organised a bingo and raffle evening in order to raise money for Jersey Autism and the Teenage Cancer Trust. With companies across the island generously donating gifts, we were able to bring together many people to compete for these prizes, raising over

£500 for our chosen charities. With our comperes kindly agreeing to host the event, the evening proved to be a lot of fun. It’s safe to say that those new or old to the game felt their competitive sides coming out and the shouts of ‘Bingo!’ became all the more enthusiastic as people were lost in the thrill of the game!

Top of the Pops

House Recycling Competition

Jemima Hill and Lucy Kershaw, Year 13 Nightingale House Captains

Louise Whale, Year 13, Eco Captain

Top of the Pops began with the difficult job of auditions, and Lucy and I, not being the most talented of dancers, were grateful to be assisted by Lucy Warren and Emily Warren, as without their help we are certain our dances would have not been such a success. We created a mash-up of different musicals as the track for our senior dance, and started rehearsals. The hard work soon began, with the girls devoting numerous lunchtimes and large amounts of free time to choreographing the routines. With a few minor setbacks along the way, we carried on determined to perfect every move. Eventually the big day arrived, with the seas of different colours and loud chants filling the hall. Cavell kept things modern with their street dance routine; Austen Bartlett had everyone laughing with their Sister Act piece; Curie-Fry showed off their basketball moves to Prince of Bel Air; Garrett Anderson danced their hearts out to some classic hits and Inglis cleverly performed the evolution of dance. Nightingale girls did us proud, perfectly executing the famous ‘Dirty Dancing’ lift – with us watching nervously from the sideline. A tense dance off between CurieFry and us followed, with us eventually coming out on top - we were unbelievably pleased especially when the standard was so high! A big well done goes to Jordan Timms of Curie Fry for winning best senior dancer! Overall it was a fantastic day, with the event really bringing out the house spirit in every member of the College.

At the start of the year, Emily Warren and I, as Eco Captains, wanted to get the whole school more enthusiastic about our school’s involvement with Eco and our Green Flag Status. The destruction of the environment is a large problem in our world today, therefore it is important to get as many people as possible keen to help us do what we can within our College to help aid these issues. We decided that the best way to get students involved was through the House system we have. It would give the students the opportunity to sign up to a new House competition but also allow them to engage in our Eco activities at the same time. On Monday 9th February, we held our first House Recycling Competition at Jersey College for Girls during lunchtime. Each House had to design and build a monument out of recyclable materials that represents their House. For example, it could have been a building that was located in the area where their House Patron’s grew up or an item associated with their House Patron’s work. Each House had to gather a team with two participants from each year group. Each team had to collect their own recyclable materials before the date of the competition and plan out their design. On the day itself, each House was given half an hour to complete their monument with Mr Jones and Mrs Cleave to judge. They were asked to mark each House based on their effort as a team, how many recyclable materials they used, how well the monument resembled the House and how well constructed it was.

The judges then came to their decision the next day. They placed Garrett Anderson in first place with their model of the London Eye made from an old bicycle tire. This was to represent London, which was the birthplace of their House Patron, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson. Joint second was awarded to Cavell for their giant poppy and Nightingale for their lantern. Each monument was carefully created and thought about by each House which made it a tough competition to judge. I felt that the House Recycling Competition was a great success and allowed more students of all ages to feel excited about Eco around the College. It was a good start to helping more members of the College to collect materials around and create something new from them instead of throwing

them away. We hope that our future Eco Captains over the years will continue to run this competition annually to keep encouraging our College to get more involved with recycling.

Jersey Student Business Challenge photographs copyright Andy Le Gresley.

Employability and Careers Mr Sykes, Employability Coordinator Jersey Student Business Challenge (JSBC) 2015: The JSBC 2015, supported by Barclays, Ernst & Young and Ogier, launched on Tuesday 13th January with 20 teams of students from Grainville and JCG competing for the top prize. Ten teams from each school are using their initial investment of £100 to demonstrate their business acumen, for profit or to benefit their community. The challenge will run until Sunday 15th March. Students become entrepreneurs and have to make important decisions that will affect the outcome of their business. The awards evening will take place in May.

HRH The Prince of Wales’s Charity Accounting For Sustainability:

The JCG students taking part in the JSBC 2015 are Charlie Miles, Ciara Donnelly, Samantha Neale, Indigo Pike, Darcey McLoughlin, Miriam Crowcroft, Hannah Esnouf, Olivia Robinson, Georgia Dodd, Sophie Robinson, Gemma Higgins, Catherine Unwin, Carys Unwin, Georgia Drieu, Lucy Jackson, Jess Denby, Teigan Franco, Storm Rothwell, Sarah Woolf, Margot Clarke, Emma Pallent, Clara Garood, Amy Baudains, Macy Sheehan, Emily Grace, Rachel Reid, Emma Phillips, Lilly Sinclair, Amelia Branch, Georgia Healey, Becca Wrigley, Georgia Thorne, Gillie Mackenzie and Chloe Baker.

Amy Meeks, Eva Hurst, Hannah Paton (Year 13), Emily Bain and Lindsay Young (Year 13 last year) were invited by HRH The Prince of Wales to attend the annual summit for his charity Accounting For Sustainability. The event took place at the Institute of Directors in London on 11th December 2014. We met up with Michael Izza, CEO of ICAEW and Liz Rylatt, Executive Director of ICAEW, and were delighted that Liz has kindly agreed to join us at JCG for our Women of Substance Day 2015. We heard from CFOs and directors of major global corporations about the necessity for placing sustainability at the top of the agenda for all business leaders. As winners of the Business, Accounting and Skills Education competition, the JCG team were granted a personal introduction with HRH The Prince of Wales. There were smiles all round and

His Royal Highness was the consummate professional by putting everyone at ease and posing for the group photograph. Saltgate Business Class: We are excited to announce a new initiative called “Saltgate Business Class” set up by Saltgate and JCG. It is designed to develop employability skills and create opportunities for JCG students in Years 11 to 13. Saltgate Business Class will involve a programme of events covering a number of areas including: an introduction to the finance industry, an introduction to fund administration and Saltgate, career paths in finance, promoting your personal brand, women in finance, applications for Saltgate’s summer work placements and Saltgate Business Class alumni programme. 32 students expressed an interest in exploring opportunities in this area and we hope that Saltgate Business Class will go from strength to strength. Careers Conversations: Rebecca Pallot kindly joined us in the Careers Library in the LRC for a lunchtime careers conversation. She met with students who were keen to learn more about a career in engineering and

her journey so far. Rebecca left JCG 2 years ago after her A levels and she is now in her second year as an apprentice at Mini Cooper. Rebecca uses one day a week to study for a degree in Electrical Engineering. She finds this method of study particularly useful as she can learn about the practical applications of each topic and how they apply to her business and industry. To get in contact with Rebecca or if you’d like to get involved in a careers conversation please email Adam Sykes at a.sykes@jcg.sch.je Year 11 Employability Seminars: Year 11 students met with alumni to learn more about their career paths. Special thanks to Hettie Duncan, Sarah Robins, Hannah Lever, Holly Clark and Emily Marie for generously giving their time and sharing their fascinating stories. Year 11 students also held discussions with business partners to develop their employability skills. We are hugely grateful to Jayne Coppin from Minerva, Sarah Garood from Maven Partners, Sue McCarter from Hawksford, Ben Sandeman from Careers Jersey, Lisa McLauchlan from Sure and Geraldine Sanders from Bromley Sanders for their invaluable help and advice.

JICA/JCG Inquiring Minds Lectures

Employability and Careers Mr Milner, Coordinator of Learning Development

Jersey Skills Show:

All Year 9 students took part in the Jersey Skills Show at Fort Regent on Friday 16th January. They had a chance to get some hands on experience in a large number of industries.

The Inquiring Minds lecture series is designed to enhance our students’ understanding of a range of issues and to expose them to an education beyond the constraints of the curriculum; the lectures also provide learning opportunities for the wider community of Jersey. With the help of JCG’s exciting and on-going relationship with the Jersey International Centre for Advanced Studies, high calibre speakers from a wide range of disciplines continue to be drawn to the College.

I began working at JCG in June 2014, shortly after moving over from the UK. I am originally from a small town in South Wales, but moved to London to study Music at University. After my degree I began singing with the London Symphony Chorus, and in order to fund life in London, I found myself a job working as ‘Content Production Manager’ for the exam board Edexcel. There were 20 content production managers in the company, and we each managed different subjects – I was given English and Music. This was the first time that I had to take a serious look into the subject of English. Of course I had written essays and dissertations, but this job required a much more detailed focus on the subject. It didn’t take too much time for me to kindle a

real love for English, particularly English Literature. Part of my new job was to work with the leading examiners in the UK, and I soaked up all the information that I could from them. I remained in this job for 4 years. Balancing Music and English was great fun and I had learned a lot from my experiences but the London commute was getting tedious and I found that my personality wasn’t quite suited to quiet office life. My husband is from Jersey and, as 2013 came to a close, we began to talk about the opportunities that might be available on the island – it wasn’t long until we were on the ferry with our car packed for a new adventure! JCG has given me the opportunity to combine all my favourite things, and I could not be happier. My job as librarian enables me to creatively share my love of literature, and my aim is to pass this on to our students. My experience of working for one of the main exam boards has been extremely beneficial to my new role as Exams Officer,

At the time of writing, we have two lectures to look forward to in the coming week. Toby Huelin (JCG’s Composer in Residence) will discuss female composers and their under-representation in much consideration of the history of music and celebrated sculptor Simon Thomas will investigate connections between art, science and nature.

Former students, parents and members of the public who are interested in the subjects that any of our speakers will explore are warmly encouraged to attend events in the series. Please consult the ‘Inquiring Minds’ page of College’s website for details of upcoming events or, alternatively, email Simon Milner at s.milner@jcg.sch.je for further details.

In 2015, we have already welcomed a number of highly engaging speakers. Professor Julian (Durham University) stimulated a great deal of interesting debate by probing some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding dyslexia. Reassuringly, he concluded that our first concern should be to offer systematic support to those who face barriers to the development of literacy skills for whatever reason. Dr David Marrani (Institute of Law, Jersey) explored the representations of justice embodied in the changing architecture of courts in England and France and raised intriguing questions

Library Sian Goldhawk, Library and Examinations Centre Manager

about the ‘opening up’ of courtroom spaces to the media. Most recently, Professor Christopher Read (University of Warwick) presented us with changing views of Stalin and Stalinism: as well as Stalin the ‘monster’, we were introduced to Stalin the poet, Stalin the father and – above all – Stalin the revolutionary!

and I am thoroughly enjoying being able to assist the students of JCG at such an important time in their lives. More recently, I have started to teach singing for Polyphony and I feel honoured to be able to use the experiences and skills that I have gained to teach the young musicians at JCG. We are living in a rapidly changing world, literature is evolving and electronic books are leading the way. Similarly, we are in the midst of a massive change to the way we examine our young people – my aim is to keep up to date with all of these changes, in order to offer our students the best possible opportunities for their school life and beyond.

Revision Focus Week Mr Milner, Coordinator of Learning Development Towards the end of the Autumn term, students in Years 11, 12 and 13 took part in Revision Focus Week. During the week, students experimented with an array of different techniques for learning – and revising – curriculum content from across the subjects for

which they will sit an examination. Each Department showcased a particular revision strategy, ranging from mnemonics and mind-maps, to ‘speed dating’ and ‘aggressive equations’! Students recorded and reflected on their experiences with the help of specially designed journals and now have a wider range of strategies to incorporate into their own revision plans. The journals

with which students were provided also include a range of ideas about effective learning, drawing on recent research into approaches to retaining and accessing information, and into productive ways of conceptualising intelligence as a learnable trait.

AFTER ANOTHER GREAT SUCCESS IN 2014 JCG Foundation News It has been another busy few months at Foundation HQ. We kicked started this year with our Old Girl’s Spring Reunion Luncheon which took place on Saturday 7th March. We have also published our 2014/15 Foundation Magazine which you can see on the College and Foundation websites. Thanks to our relationship with the Jersey Development Company our beloved library will finally be returning to us this year. We thank the Jersey Development Company for making this possible and covering the significant cost of repatriation without which, it would not have been possible. We look to host a celebration of the repatriation of our library here at JCG on Saturday 3rd October. We are thrilled Jacksons Pride and Joy event will take place again this year on Sunday 28th June and very much hope you can come (with or without your Pride and Joy) for a picnic and fun event in the wonderful campus of JCG and Victoria College Playing Field. Pop that date in your diary now! Now in its third year our relationship with Rathbones continues to thrive. This year Rathbones are sponsoring Prepare 2015 a GCSE Revision Academy taking place for all Jersey students at JCG in the Easter holidays. Rathbones will also sponsor our library repatriation celebration, hockey and netball teams and other college initiatives which would not happen without their help.

2015

Is Back Again! Jacksons, in partnership with the JCG Foundation, extend a special invitation to join us at our 2015 Pride & Joy Day JCG Rolls with it ... Limited edition prints of both old and new buildings are now available! Only a few prints of the limited edition Ian Rolls of our building are still available and after many requests we have, thanks to the generosity of the Jersey Development Company commissioned an Ian Rolls of our beloved old building which is now also available at £100 each. Funds raised from the sales of these prints will all support the work of the Foundation. Notelets are also available of both paintings. As the charitable arm of JCG, everything we do is self-funding. We thank those of you who have made donations, pledge a legacy and offered raffle prizes. We also could not do half the things we do without the help of our corporate partners Jacksons, Rathbones Investment Management International, Hawksford Group, Global Fund Media, Brewin Dolphin, Stonehage, Hassell Blampied, Franckel Law, Le Masuriers and Minerva Trust.

Thank you to those of you who have signed up for a JCG Foundation Loyalty Card. We hope you’re enjoying the wide range of discounts the card offers and thank you to our Discount Partners for supporting this innovative fund-raising programme. Before the Foundation was in place, historically, the JCGA would raise approximately £1000 a year so we are very proud that in the 3 years the Foundation has increased this to £70,000 last year and if we achieve all we wish to we will be heading to providing £150,000 funding for initiatives that support and inspire the JCG Family and education in Jersey in 2015 but we cannot do it without your help! If you would like to learn more about our Corporate Partner Programme, Loyalty Card or if you are an old girl do register on www.jcgfoundation.com or talk to us about arranging your own JCG reunion. Pop in for a coffee, the kettle is always on! Leanda Guy Foundation HQ l.guy@jcg.sch.je Tel: 516206

From 1pm on Sunday 28 June in the beautiful surroundings of JCG & Victoria College playing field Log on to Jacksonsci.com NOW to complete your entry form

This is a unique opportunity for you to showcase your own ‘Pride & Joy’ – or simply visit as a spectator. You and your family will love viewing all the motoring gems in the relaxing setting of this historic Jersey College. There will be plenty of entertainment too.

Click onto www.jacksonsci.com and complete the simple registration form, so that we can ensure you’re entered in the correct category. You can pay the £10 entry fee online. Proceeds will be donated to the JCG Foundation. Registration forms are available from the Jacksons showroom in St Peter. Alternatively call Leanda Guy, JCG Foundation Director, on 516 206 or email: l.guy@jcg.sch.je

Entering your ‘Pride & Joy’ Don’t worry, this is not a concours or parade event! It’s friendly, informal – and open to everyone. Whether you have a pre-war Bentley or a Skoda from the 1980s, you’re welcome to compete for the top slot in the relevant category.

St. Peter, Jersey, JE3 7BF

01534 497777

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my parents were whisked away to discuss matters that I was thankfully oblivious to.

Changing Hearts and Minds By Catherine MacLachlan, Former Student This year is my ‘ninth anniversary’ of being a heart transplant recipient. The only thing that gives it away today is a faded scar on my chest, which I have never resented or tried to conceal. My story is a short one-11weeks to be exact - and compared to most other organ recipients, a short history of illness is a rare thing. It begins on Easter Sunday 2006. I mentioned to my parents that my heart was beating so strongly it was causing my necklace to shake. Fortunately, both are medical professionals, and took me straight to A&E at Jersey’s General Hospital after detecting a slightly irregular heartbeat. It’s safe to say that I was not expecting anything serious to be wrong. As a ‘normal’ 15-yearold teenager who played hockey four times a week and enjoyed socialising I was certainly not expecting a diagnosis of severe heart disease. But when dad entered my cubicle and I saw his face, any hopes disappeared.

My heart was surprisingly large for a girl of my age, he explained, which is a symptom of being too weak to pump enough blood around the body - a condition referred to as dilated cardiomyopathy. This was serous. The next step was an admission to intensive care for monitoring and further investigations. Things didn’t improve and from Jersey I transferred to Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital for more tests. While a cocktail of drugs tried to delay any further health deterioration, I had the ‘transplant talk’ - probably one of worst moments of my life. At some point, the doctor said, I would need a heart transplant. It could be in 10 weeks or 10 years, they weren’t sure. I wasn’t really listening – it was all I could do to stop myself from breaking down in tears. I returned home with the warning to do nothing that would place a strain on my heart. It was ignored, I just wanted to prove my diagnosis was wrong. But it wasn’t of course. Within two weeks of coming back to Jersey, I quickly began to feel my body shutting down.

Nevertheless, I was determined to save my family from worrying (even more) so I faked normality and attempted, unsuccessfully, to disguise my worsening symptoms. Back in hospital, the diagnosis was worse. There was a need for a return to Great Ormond Street for immediate medical treatment. In a three-week blur, doctors fitted a pacemaker that would shock my heart back to life should it stop working. I was more worried about the scar. My Year 11 prom was only a month away – how could I possibly cover it up? In the end, I missed the prom anyway. Unfortunately the operation did not go to plan. The pacemaker failed to restart my heart when needed and so I ended up on a life support machine and on ‘The Waiting List’ for a heart transplant. For a few days, I was top of the list, as the sickest child in the UK (waiting for a heart). My condition affected other organs – a lack of blood led to my stomach and kidneys progressively shutting down. Dialysis was prepared while

Passion Action Inspiration Niall, Rory and Fin McCann

When time is limited how do you fill the unforgiving minute?

Presentation 21st January 2015 About 200 people gathered in JCG Hall on Wednesday 21st January to hear the McCann brothers’ talk about the way they have been inspired by their

father and his approach to a diagnosis of terminal cancer. The talk, which was kindly sponsored by Saltgate, was moving, inspirational and humorous. There was a chance to chat to the brothers informally over drinks and nibbles and approximately £2000 was raised for Clic Sargent (Jersey).

While my poor family coped with the constant ups and downs, the hours passed and the chance of finding a suitable heart seemed increasingly unlikely. On the evening of 15 June, the doctors declared that I was nearly out of time. They gave me one more night. Back in Jersey, some friends organised a service for me at the Sacred Heart Church in St Aubin. Less than three hours after it ended, the news came through that a suitable heart was available. Call it what you like - a miracle or coincidence - but that night the astoundingly skilled surgeons performed the most incredible operation and replaced my broken heart with a new one. My first memory after the operation was waking up in a tiny dark room - an intensive care isolation cubicle only accessible through a series of airlocks. There were tubes and leads attached to my body, so many I could barely turn my head. Painful black bruises from all the injections covered my arms. My muscles had disintegrated after lying unconsciousness for two weeks. My parents came in and patiently explained that I had been incredibly lucky. I had a new heart. Looking down at my heavily bandaged chest, I accepted they were telling the truth. Drugs arrived every few hours on a tray. Despite the care of nurses, the morphine gave me horrifying hallucinations and paranoia. A family member would stay with me, in a cramped chair by my bed, until I fell asleep again. There was so little space in my cubicle I felt terribly sorry for my parents. With the passing days, however, I gradually began to feel more human again. Getting home as soon as possible was now my only aim. Alongside the medical treatments, I began intense physiotherapy to help build up muscle strength so that I could walk without support. There was the challenge of withdrawing from morphine. I cherished moments of normality, such as hearing about my sister’s new boyfriend, and I learned to read the doctors’ faces, so that I could predict if they were delivering good news or another slight complication in my recovery. Eight weeks after my heart transplant, I was allowed to fly back to Jersey. At the sight of

my closest friends waiting for me at the airport with balloons and welcome home signs, my nerves vanished and relief flooded over me. They were all still there; and life could hopefully resume.

From the moment I found out that I had a heart condition, my teachers, the staff and fellow students at JCG did all they could to make these few months as easy as possible for myself and my family. I will never forget their incredible warmth and support. It made coming back into school far less daunting and before long I felt that normality had returned which is exactly what I needed! I haven’t looked back. I returned to school, not missing a day. After Sixth Form, there was a gap year, spent travelling around Australia and working in southern Spain. At Durham, I studied for a BA in Modern Languages, and loved it. I still have check-ups at Papworth Hospital and at the Cardiology Department in Jersey. There are twice daily tablets to take, to avoid my heart being rejected, but I lead a normal, yet extremely happy and active life, and that is so much more than I could have wished for nine years ago. In those nine years, medicine had advanced thanks to research, and the level and effect of treatment is improving every day. Yet for many patients today, a transplant remains the only option left. It gives people - whether teenager or an adult- a second chance of life. Because of this, it should be a more readily available option. A national survey found that nearly everyone is prepared to donate their organs, and yet only one third of the population have signed up to the Organ Donor Register. In Jersey, that figure is just 10 percent. As a result, three people die every day waiting to receive an organ. I was painfully close to being one of those unlucky people. There are literally no words to express how grateful I am

to have received such a gift as I did and I am forever in debt to the donor and their family for the generosity. The purpose of telling my story is not to try and change people’s personal beliefs on organ donation. But if you are someone willing to consider giving another person life after your death, please take two minutes and sign up to the Organ Donor Register. One loss of life can save the life of up to eight others. Surely that is a statistic you cannot ignore.

Following their experiences, Catherine and her family started the Love Hearts Appeal, which raises money for the new Great Ormond Street Hospital Cardiac Intensive Care Unit which makes up part of the Heart and Lung Centre opened in 2012. Thanks to the generosity of supporters, they hit their initial milestone of £110,000. Now the Love Hearts Appeal is continuing fundraising towards the research taking place at GOSH into paediatric cardiac transplantation. They are also campaigning to raise donor awareness and to increase the numbers signing up to the Donor Register. You can sign up at: www.organdonation.nhs.uk If you wish to know more, or to donate to the Love Hearts Appeal, go to: www.gosh.org/lovehearts Help them help other children. Thank You.

Important Dates for Summer Term 2015 April

June

July

Tuesday 14 April

Thursday 4 June - Friday 5 June

Wednesday 1 July - Friday 17 July

Start of summer term

Year 9 Technology trip to Bletchely Park

Biology expedition to Dominica

Thursday 23 April

Thursday 4 June

Thursday 2 July - Friday 3 July

JCG Foundation Philanthropic evening 19.00 - 21.00

Year 8 exchange students from Granville visit JCG

Year 6 transition days

Friday 24 April

Friday 5 June

Parent Association Quiz Night 19.00 - 21.00

Year 12 Student leadership day

Wednesday 29 April

Monday 8 June Monday 8 June - Friday 19 June

May Day Holiday

Wednesday 6 May Summer Concert 19.30 - 21.30

Friday 8 May Year 12 final day before study leave, Year 11 final day before study leave & leavers event

Sunday 10 May - Friday 15 May Year 10 Geography trip to Barcelona

Monday 11 May - Wed 24 June

Saturday 13 June Sunday 14 June PA Scavenger hunt 15.00 - 18.00

Monday 15 June - Friday 19 June Year 10 exam week

Wed 17 June - Friday 19 June Year 8 exchange visit to Granville

Wednesday 24 June Sports day at FB fields

Friday 26 June

Summer exams

Leavers service at Wesley Grove then lunch on JCG terrace

Wednesday 13 May

Monday 29 June

Year 13 final day before study leave

Friday 15 May Year 13 leavers breakfast

Monday 25 May - Friday 28 May Half term

Wednesday 8 July Year 8 Shakespeare festival

Monday 13 July - Friday 17 July Activities week

Year 12 Golden time

1983 Reunion

Monday 4 May

Year 10 Trident work experience

Year 12 return from study leave

JCG/Hawksford Debate 18.00 - 20.30

May

Monday 6 July - Friday 17 July

Composers concert 19.30 - 21.00

Friday 17 July End of term